By Tracy Bonareri
This tweet shared by Anyamah Douglas on May 16, 2022 claims to show U.S Vice President Kamala Harris congratulating Martha Karua on her nomination as Azimio One Kenya’s official running mate to presidential aspirant Raila Odinga.
Background
Martha Karua was unveiled as Azimio One Kenya’s official running mate on Monday, May 16, 2022 at KICC, in Nairobi. If the Raila and Karua tandem wins the elections on August 9, 2022 she would become Kenya’s first female deputy president.
“Following intense consultations we have decided that the holder of this office has to be a woman. After 60 years of independence we cannot excuse the male domination of the executive. For the first time in the history of our republic, and on the 7th multiparty election, history is calling us to close the gender gap in our country, history is calling on us to reciprocate the struggles and fidelity of our women, history is calling on us to produce our first woman deputy president,” said Raila during the unveiling.
Netizens wasted no time in congratulating Martha, with many likening her story to that of current US Vice President Kamala Harris who became the first US female vice president after winning the 2020 elections alongside President Joe Biden.
Verification
Kamala Harris’ official Twitter handle is Vice President Kamala Harris and not Vice President Harris Kamala, which is the account name used on the fabricated image purporting that she congratulated Martha Karua in a tweet.
Piga Firimbi found that there is no Twitter account by the name Vice President Harris Kamala.
Scrolling through the tweets shared on Martha Karua and Kamal Harris’ official accounts on the said date, there is no evidence of these tweets anywhere.
A similar tweet claiming to show a congratulatory message to Martha Karua supposedly from Tanzania President Samia Suluhu was also shared by the same user.
The last tweet on President Samia Suluhu’s official account was published on May 14, 2022 and has not published anything on Raila Odinga’s presidential running mate in Martha Karua, which was announced on May 16.
All the same, the tweet supposedly sent by President Samia Suluhu was sent on May 15, 2022 yet the announcement was made on May 16, 2022 (see screengrab below).
Verdict
Tweets claiming to show congratulatory messages from US Vice President Kamala Harris and Tanzania President Samia Suluhu are FAKE.
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