When top diplomats mislead: PS Sing’oei posts deepfake video flattering Ruto regime, apologises
Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing’oei.
What you need to know:
- After posting the deepfake video on his official X account, Dr Sing’oei faced backlash from Kenyans online.
Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing’oei, wanted to have a go at "fake analysts" commentating on the controversial Sudan-Kenya issue. And have a go he did, but it ended with unintended consequences.
He posted what appeared to be a CNN video report starring journalist and political commentator Fareed Zakaria. In it, Zakaria waxes lyrical about Kenya being a "stabilising force in the region" and goes on defend Kenya's controversial dalliance with Sudan, possibly the first sign that the video is a deepfake. Another telltale sign was that Zakaria's lip movements didn't match the audio from the beginning of the clip.
Almost immediately after he posted the video, Kenyans were quick to point out that it was a deepfake. Deepfakes, videos or audio clips which are edited using artificial intelligence, are generally used to spread misinformation online.
After taking down the video, Dr Sing’oei acknowledged his mistake and apologised to Kenyans on Friday morning.
"I regret any confusion this may have caused and thank everyone who flagged the video as a deepfake," he said.
In the wake of controversy arising from the presence of RSF representatives in the country, Nairobi initially argued that it was providing good offices for dialogue between the warring parties in Sudan. Nairobi also stated that it was not violating Sudanese sovereignty.
So Dr Sing’oei, a lawyer, decided to add his voice to the debate, having stayed off social media as the controversy raged.
“For the fake analysts who doubt the good faith of Kenya’s peace diplomacy, here is a cogent assessment by CNN’s Foreign Policy expert, Fareed Zakaria,” Dr Singoei tweeted.
What came out was a false video, generated by AI, showing an analysis by CNN’s political show host Fareed Zakaria supposedly supporting Kenya’s involvement with Sudan’s peace efforts.
Nation.Africa will not republish the fake video as a measure to stop the false information from spreading.
In fact, neither CNN nor Fareed had featured Kenya’s issue on Sudan, yet.
On Thursday, after posting the deepfake video on his official X account, Dr Sing’oei faced serious backlash from Kenyans online.
Dr Singoei later deleted the said video, and in a statement on Friday, Dr Sing’oei said he regrets the confusion the video caused, thanking everyone who flagged the fake video.
“I sincerely apologise 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 video as a deepfake,” he said.
In redemption, he said he was prepared to go back to school to learn more about AI. He further said the Ministry has been working with partners and tech companies to explore the potential of watermarking AI-generated content to ensure that such material does not pose as human-generated material.
“Additionally, we are designing—with the collaboration of partners and big-tech companies—the School on AI Diplomacy (SAID) at the Foreign Services Academy—a programme I will attend—to equip policymakers better to navigate these emerging challenges,” he said.
“My apologies once again and sincerely appreciate everyone’s vigilance, correction, and candor.”
Dr Sing’oei’s goof added to a series of diplomatic blunders by the Kenyan government in recent days.
It came at a time when a last-minute cancellation of a press conference in Nairobi by the RSF had sparked speculation as to whether Nairobi is trying to limit the damage caused by the group’s presence in Kenya.
Top leadership of RSF arrived in Nairobi on Sunday, promising to discuss and sign a charter with allied groups on the formation of a parallel government of ‘peace and unity’ in Sudan.
They later stated that they were simply negotiating the political future of their war-torn country.
“We are in Kenya not to establish a government, nor are we here to govern from outside Sudan. When the time comes to form a government, we will return to Sudan, where the people will decide their future,” said Izzadin Al Safi, Special Adviser RSF Commander.
“Kenya serves as a neutral ground for facilitation and dialogue, helping us address the root causes of Sudan’s crisis just as our leaders did in 2005 during negotiations between North and South Sudan,” the RSF Commander added.
The events in Nairobi drew an immediate protest from the military government in Sudan led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The Sudanese government termed the events in Nairobi as an act of hostility.
RSF leaders, including Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo ‘Hemedti’, just like the Sudanese military leadership, have been sanctioned by the US for war crimes and genocide in Sudan.