Raila Odinga Junior has addressed a viral video showing him speaking to members of the public through a fence, clarifying the circumstances surrounding the footage.
The video has sparked debate among Kenyans on social media since the weekend, with some users questioning why he appeared to be speaking to people from behind a barrier.
In a statement shared on Tuesday, August 11, Raila Junior said he had seen the video and the commentary surrounding it and wanted to set the record straight.
“For clarity, this was not at the President's private home. It took place at a public airstrip in Kilgoris,” he said.
He said the biggest misconception online was the location, with many people assuming the footage had been taken outside President William Ruto's private residence.
Statement on the circulating video from Kilgoris. pic.twitter.com/BzpMm6c4pG
— Raila Odinga Junior (@Railajunior) August 11, 2026
According to Raila Junior, this led to claims that residents had been locked out while dignitaries celebrated inside.
“As I alighted from the aircraft, a group of wananchi who recognised me waved me over and asked to greet me, and the fence is the standard safety barrier that protects the landing area of the aircraft,” he said.
The video was filmed on Saturday, August 8, when Raila Junior was in Kilgoris, Narok County, for President Ruto's daughter Charlene Ruto's traditional engagement and dowry ceremony, which was attended by several dignitaries.
He said the interaction was simply a response to members of the public who had recognised him and asked to greet him.
“I responded to their greeting in the normal way one does with members of the public,” his statement read.
Raila Junior also addressed the fence, which became a central feature of the online debate. He explained that it was not intended to exclude the members of the public but was a standard safety barrier around the aircraft landing area.
He also reportedly urged the residents gathered at the airstrip to remain peaceful and united, referring to them as family.
Rather than expressing frustration over the reactions to the video, Raila Junior appeared amused by the attention it generated. He said he was pleased by the interest with which Kenyans follow his movements and jokingly promised to keep the public more frequently updated.
The video had triggered varied reactions online, with some social media users drawing comparisons to colonial-era segregation, when fences were used to separate colonial officials from local communities.
Others likened the scene to themes depicted in George Orwell's Animal Farm, while some users argued that the footage had been taken out of context.