This archive report was first published on 3 October 2019.
Deputy President William Ruto has been making headlines for his Twitter outbursts, targeting several Kenyan media outlets over what he claims are 'fake news' stories. The latest incident occurred on Thursday night, when Dr. Ruto posted a picture of the Daily Nation newspaper with the headline 'Murumbi land ownership row haunts Ruto.'
Dr. Ruto's tweet read: 'The now persistent, obviously sponsored FAKE NEWS by hired bankrupt media that finds it difficult to make a sale without the name Ruto. Bure kabisa. Riswa!'
However, this is not the first time Dr. Ruto has taken to Twitter to attack the media. In September, he lashed out at the Standard newspaper over a story that claimed President Uhuru Kenyatta had snubbed his ally at the airport.
Dr. Ruto posted a picture of the newspaper saying: 'Kenyans can see through standard media's desperate gutter journalism lies of drama. JUBILEE is built on rock solid philosophy and beliefs that no amount of scheming & propaganda can undermine.'
Dr. Ruto's Twitter feud has drawn comparisons to that of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has also been known to attack the media on social media.
On Wednesday, President Trump attacked U.S. media over how they reported about his comments on border security, saying: 'Now the press is trying to sell the fact that I wanted a Moat stuffed with alligators and snakes, with an electrified fence and sharp spikes on top, at our Southern Border. I may be tough on Border Security, but not that tough. The press has gone Crazy. Fake News!'
Dr. Ruto's Twitter outbursts have raised questions about the role of social media in shaping public discourse and the impact of 'fake news' on the media landscape.
