Kenya’s former chief Raila Odinga misplaced the race to steer the African Union Fee (AUC) to Djibouti’s international affairs minister in elections held in Ethiopia in February 2025. A TikTok video purports to point out Odinga appearing outraged following his defeat. However the declare is fake: the footage was filmed in March 2023 when Odinga was barred from getting into the Directorate of Prison Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi. Opposite to the declare, the Kenyan chief conceded defeat and congratulated Mahamoud Ali Youssouf on his victory.
“Raila after he misplaced AUC,” reads the textual content overlay on a TikTok submit printed on February 15, 2025.
Screenshot of the false submit, taken on February 18, 2025
“What sort of concessions? It is a public workplace, and I’ve a proper to go inside. What legislation is that?” a visibly indignant Odinga is seen saying within the video.
The submit has been shared greater than 280 occasions.
AUC elections
Odinga introduced his intention to run for the chairmanship of the AUC in February 2024 with hopes of succeeding Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat for a four-year time period (archived right here and right here).
He formally launched his candidacy in August 2024 with the backing of Kenyan President William Ruto, who rallied different African leaders to again Odinga (archived right here, right here and right here).
Nonetheless, Odinga misplaced to Youssouf after the vote held in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa on February 15, 2025 (archived right here).
Odinga beforehand contested 5 presidential elections in Kenya, dropping every one in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2022 (archived right here). He has prior to now claimed the vote was stolen from him.
Nonetheless, the video apparently exhibiting him lashing out in anger after his AUC defeat is fake.
Previous video
AFP Reality Examine performed reverse picture searches on keyframes from the clip to seek out the unique footage.
An extended model of the video was printed on the YouTube channel of Kenyan media outlet Citizen TV on March 7, 2023 (archived right here).
The broadcaster reported that Odinga had been barred from getting into the headquarters for the DCI the place Fred Matiang’i, a former inside cupboard secretary, was being questioned.
Matiang’i had been summoned by the DCI to file a press release over an alleged police raid at his dwelling (archived right here).
Odinga could be seen sporting the identical blue go well with, and white and blue hat in each movies.
Screenshots evaluating the false TikTok submit (left) and the unique footage printed by Citizen TV
Different native information shops reported on the incident (archived right here and right here).
Opposite to the declare made on TikTok, Odinga conceded defeat and congratulated Youssouf on successful the AUC seat (archived right here).
He additionally urged Kenyans to chorus from “blame video games” and speculating about his loss (archived right here).
