This tweet bears an image claiming that Raila Odinga landed a new job with the United Nations. According to the post Odinga is apparently the UN political affairs, peace and humanitarian boss.
The claim went viral with many accompanying the news with congratulatory messages to the former Prime Minister.
Background
After coming second to President William Ruto in the August 9,2022 general election, in his fifth attempt at the presidency, Raila Odinga and his family said they took a holiday to The Spice Island of Zanzibar to “reflect and heal”. He made his first public appearance on September 15, 2022 since the Supreme Court upheld Ruto’s win.
The position purportedly now occupied by Odinga is located in the Western Africa Division of the Departments of Political and Peace-building Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA).The United Nations political affairs, peace and humanitarian boss is tasked with: monitoring political peace and security events in assigned countries and attending meetings of the Security Council, the General Assembly, subsidiary organisations and negotiating bodies on issues relevant to in assigned countries in the Western Africa region, arranging and participating in technical, fact-finding and assessment missions among other duties.
In similar claims, a fake Time Magazine front page circulated with Raila’s picture and the caption “the man who will never be president”. This was debunked by Piga Firimbi here.
Verification
To begin with, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary A. DiCarlo heads the DPPA. She assumed the post on May 1, 2018 and holds it to date.
Also there is no communication of Odinga’s appointment on his official Twitter handle here. Azimio One Kenya’s press secretary Dennis Onsarigo dismissed claims of the appointment during an interview with The Standard.
Verdict
Claims that Raila Odinga has been appointed as the new UN political affairs, peace and humanitarian boss are FALSE.
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