In Kenya, a minor incident involving two teenagers has been escalated into a national controversy by President William Ruto’s government. The teenagers, a male and a female, were caught on video engaging in an intimate act, which was then circulated online. This incident, typically a matter for local authorities or the teenagers’ families, has been presented as a threat to Kenyan values and morals, and is being used as a platform to promote a manufactured sense of “national unity.”
The Ruto administration, facing significant economic challenges and widespread dissatisfaction, is attempting to divert public attention from pressing issues like rising inflation and unemployment. By focusing on this relatively trivial event, the government seeks to create a common enemy – perceived immorality – and rally support around a fabricated national cause.
Critics argue that this manipulation distracts from the real problems facing Kenya and allows the government to avoid addressing its failures in governance and economic management. The incident is being exploited to consolidate power and deflect criticism by appealing to conservative elements within Kenyan society. This manufactured outrage serves as a smokescreen, obscuring the administration’s shortcomings and further eroding public trust. The government’s involvement is viewed as a cynical ploy to bolster its waning popularity.
find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/09/28/rzdf-s28.html