Social media on Tuesday, January 31, went agog when Narok Senator Ledama Olekina and former Nairobi County Governor Mike Sonko shared a video showing a young woman being publicly beaten.
Both Ledama and Sonko claimed in their posts that the video was from Kenya and effectively called on the police to bring to book the people involved.
“Kenya Kwanza government led by President William Ruto should be driving to Migori to arrest and jail for life those who beat up this young girl,” Ledama shared on his Twitter while calling on Chief Justice Martha Koome to act.
“I have instructed a group of female lawyers to pursue the case and ensure the girl gets justice,” Sonko highlighted on his part.
Several Kenyan Twitter users at the time incorrectly suggested that the video had been recorded somewhere in Kuria, Migori county.
According to Twitter users who commented on the video, the girl in question had earlier escaped from a forced marriage and had gone back to collect her belongings to resume school when she was subjected to the beating.
Some popular accounts claimed the girl in the video had run away from home to avoid female genital mutilation.
However, a fact check by BBC Africa established that the video was recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to BBC Africa, the video originated from the eastern Maniema province, as revealed by DR Congo Minister of Human Rights Albert-Fabrice Puela.
The Minister of Human Rights Albert-Fabrice condemned the incidents and called on police to arrest a group of men who were beating the lady with sticks and other weapons.
BBC Africa reported that the group of men is believed to be members of a vigilante operating in the area.
It was reported that the vigilante is hunting and publicly flogging women for, among other things, dressing in short skirts and trousers.
