Makau Mutua lauds PS Sing’oei for taking responsibility after diplomatic blunder
Legal scholar professor Makau Mutua has hailed Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei for owning up to his blunder and apologising after he came under fire over an AI-generated video he shared on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
A day after he shared a fake commentary video of CNN’s foreign policy expert Fareed Zakaria supporting Kenya’s diplomatic role in Sudan on his X account, the PS was forced to make an apology after Kenyans flagged the material as a deepfake.
Kenyans on social media were quick to react to the gaffe with many accusing the high-ranking government official of engaging in misinformation prompting the official apology.
I sincerely apologize for inadvertently posting an AI-generated video disguised as a genuine commentary from Fareed Zakaria of CNN on the search for peace in the Sudan conflict and Kenya’s role in it. I regret any confusion this may have caused and thank everyone who flagged the…
— Korir Sing’Oei (@SingoeiAKorir) February 21, 2025
In his apology on Friday, February 21, 2025, Sing’oei said he regrets the confusion the video caused, thanking everyone who flagged the fake video.
The PS however found support from an unlikely quarter with Mutua among those coming to his defense.
In a statement shared via his X page this Friday, February 21, 2025, the law professor hailed him for showing personal responsibility for his actions.
Mutua has additionally urged other public officials to follow the PS’s example of eating a humble pie.
“To err is human, PS @SingoeiAKorir. Well done for taking full responsibility and setting a good example. May others follow suit when they err, “ Mutua said in his statement.
To err is human, PS @SingoeiAKorir. Well done for taking full responsibility and setting a good example. May others follow suit when they err🙏🏽👏🏾👏🏾
— Prof Makau Mutua (@makaumutua) February 21, 2025
Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa also waded into the saga.
Wamalwa, while acknowledging Singo’ei’s apology, reckoned that the admittance of guilt should extend to the administration he serves on how they handled the diplomatic issues surrounding the Sudanese RSF militia and the government stance on the conflict in Congo.
“To err is human and PS @SingoeiAKorir’s apology is in order. However, he and @ForeignOfficeKE should also admit that they erred in hobnobbing with the Sudanese RSF and Congolese AFC rebels that has soured our relations with Khartoum and Kinshasa,” Wamalwa stated.
The foregoing comes at a time when William Ruto’s government seems not to be catching any breaks with its diplomatic gaffes.
Kenya is currently embroiled in a regional conflict with Sudan after it permitted a Sudanese militia – the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to hold a meeting in Nairobi to launch a parallel government in Khartoum.
The forces’ meeting in Nairobi on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, elicited sharp criticism with Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs now vowing to take action against Kenya for disregarding its obligations under international law.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regrets the Kenyan government’s disregard for its obligations under international law, the charter of the United Nations… by hosting the event of signing the so-called political agreement between the terrorist Janjaweed militia- responsible for ongoing acts of genocide in Sudan – and its affiliated individuals and groups,” the ministry said in a letter to newsrooms.
The pronouncement precipitated a reaction from Kenya that came just under 24 hours.
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi issued a statement reaffirming Kenya’s commitment to fostering peace in Sudan.
“The crisis in Sudan demands urgent regional and global attention. With its credentials as an enabler of peace in the region and across the globe Kenya remains at the forefront of seeking solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. As a country, we have committed 2 million USD towards global and regional initiatives to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan,” Mudavadi said.
Leave a Reply