A photo circulating on social media, purporting to show Kenyan businessman Raila Odinga Junior fighting Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, has been debunked as altered. The image, accompanied by a dramatic caption, suggests that the two were involved in an altercation at the first anniversary celebration of the death of former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga. However, a thorough investigation by PesaCheck has revealed that the image is not authentic.
The original image, obtained through a Google reverse image search, shows Raila Junior and Sifuna exchanging pleasantries, not fighting. In the original photo, Raila Junior is shaking Sifuna's right hand while lightly touching his right arm with his left. Sifuna, on the other hand, is holding his phone in his left hand. The same individuals appear beside them in both images, but with notable differences in their attire and surroundings.
The photo was taken at the late Odinga's Opoda Farm, on the outskirts of Bondo town, Siaya County, on 15 October 2026, during the first anniversary of his death. Several credible sources, including live videos of the commemoration, confirm that there was no altercation between Sifuna and Raila Junior. Instead, Raila Junior welcomed Sifuna to their home and thanked him, along with Babu Owino and James Orengo, for attending the anniversary.
Further investigation by PesaCheck revealed inconsistencies in the altered image. A comparison with photos shared on Sifuna's and Raila Junior's social media accounts showed differences in the complexion of an individual beside Sifuna, as well as variations in clothing and accessories. Siaya Governor James Orengo's spectacles, for instance, differ in shape from those in the original photo and a close-up image he shared on his social media account.
To verify the authenticity of the image, PesaCheck employed AI-detection tools, including Sight Engine and SynthID Detector. The results indicated a 59 per cent likelihood of AI generation and suggested that the image was made or edited with OpenAI. These findings further confirm that the image is not genuine.
PesaCheck's investigation is part of an ongoing series of fact-checks examining content marked as potential misinformation on Facebook and other social media platforms. By partnering with Facebook and similar platforms, third-party fact-checking organisations like PesaCheck aim to help the public distinguish fact from fiction.
The fact-check was conducted by PesaCheck fact-checker Naomi Wanjiku and edited by senior copy editor Mary Mutisya and chief copy editor Stephen Ndegwa. The article was approved for publication by PesaCheck managing editor Doreen Wainainah. PesaCheck is East Africa's first public finance fact-checking initiative, co-founded by Catherine Gicheru and Justin Arenstein.
Key points
- The image claiming to show Raila Junior fighting Edwin Sifuna has been found to be altered.
- The original image shows Raila Junior and Sifuna exchanging pleasantries, not fighting.
- AI-detection tools confirmed that the image has a high likelihood of being AI-generated.
