This image on Twitter supposedly of Kenyan President William Ruto holding a baton is ALTERED.
The image is of Ruto in a dark grey suit with a rose pinned on the lapel and holding a white baton. A blurred-out crowd is in the background.
The text accompanying the image has a satirical take on reported police brutality against Kenya’s anti-government protesters and the harassment of journalists.
A reverse image search shows that the original image was altered to superimpose the picture of Ruto’s head on the portrait of Daniel Moi, Kenya’s second President.
Among the search results is a picture in this 4 February 2020 Financial Times article, whose caption says it depicts President Moi during Kenya’s 34th Independence Day celebrations on 12 December 1997. The image is credited to Reuters photographer George Mulala.
Another article by The Star corroborates this evidence.
PesaCheck has examined the image, supposedly of Kenyan President William Ruto holding a baton, and found it to be ALTERED.
