This archive report was first published on 8 July 2020.
"ICU Na Kofia?" Kenyans Expose Burale, Say He Is Faking His Sickness ¶
Popular motivational speaker and pastor Israel Robert Burale has been accused by Kenyans of faking his COVID-19 sickness to advertise the disease for the government.
On July 6, 2020, Burale went live on social media to update Kenyans on his status after testing positive for coronavirus. He claimed to be in the ICU at Nairobi Hospital, but his claims were met with skepticism by many.
Many argued that no one can be in an ICU with a 'kofia' (a traditional African hat) and have all that energy to go live and narrate the incident. They also pointed out that Burale's behavior was inconsistent with someone who was seriously ill.
One Twitter user even accused Burale of conning her out of Ksh. 250,000. Burale had previously spoken about his experience in the ICU, saying that he was scared but relieved to learn that his daughter was okay and COVID-19 free.
However, his claims were met with doubt by many, who pointed out that anyone admitted to the ICU would not have the energy to wear a 'kofia' and go live on social media. Burale's behavior was seen as inconsistent with someone who was seriously ill.
Others accused Burale of using his platform to advertise COVID-19 for the government. They pointed out that his claims were suspicious and that he was not being truthful about his condition.
As of July 8, 2020, Burale's claims had been met with widespread skepticism by Kenyans, who accused him of faking his sickness to gain attention and sympathy.
