Editor’s Note：In July 2025, we published verification information on social media regarding the video “Kenyan President claiming to resign is actually AI-generated.” We have now reorganized and integrated the original content into this long-form report.
Claim:
On July 2, 2025, a video of Kenyan President William Ruto stating that he would resign and not seek re-election in the 2027 general election circulated on Facebook and TikTok. In the video, William Ruto appears to say, “I am tired and I have accepted I have failed to rule this country; 2027 is too far.” The video received over 8,000 likes.
Fact check:
- Watermark
A close examination of the two videos reveals a watermark marked “AI” in the upper left corner, indicating that the videos are highly likely to be generated using artificial intelligence tools.
- Visual red flags
In the video, William Ruto’s face is visibly distorted; his hand gestures are unnatural when speaking; his gaze is fixed on one spot; and his mouth opens unusually wide.
- Audio check
William Ruto’s voice in the video has no fluctuations, maintains a consistent rhythm, and sounds somewhat mechanical. - Source analysis
A reverse image search on key frames of the video found that the original photo was taken on June 18, 2025, when William Ruto was giving a speech in Kisumu County, western Kenya.
- AI Detection Result
We extracted one frame exhibiting the most pronounced AI-generated characteristics. Multiple detection tools returned probabilities of artificial synthesis ranging from 0.5% to 96.58%. This variance suggests the manipulated content was likely modified from authentic source imagery.
Currently, no resignation announcement regarding President Williams Ruto has been published on the official website of the Kenyan Presidency or its verified social media accounts. Based on comprehensive technical analysis and source verification, available evidence confirms that the viral video is AI-generated, and the claim of the president’s resignation is false.
Conclusion: AI-generated
Have a questionable video or claim? Submit it to Fact Hunter’s investigation team at [therealfacthunter@outlook.com].
Fact Checker:Wang ZiNing
