Fake! Atwoli dismisses viral video alleging he was heckled at funeral

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions - Kenya (COTU-K) has dismissed as fake a viral video purporting to show its Secretary General, Francis Atwoli, being heckled during a funeral service in Western Kenya mid this month.

The video, which has been circulating widely on social media platforms, allegedly shows Dr Atwoli being jeered at the event held on February 14, 2026.

However, his office has termed the clip misleading and heavily edited.

“Our attention has been drawn to an edited video currently circulating on social media platforms, falsely alleging that the COTU (K) Secretary General was heckled during a funeral he attended on 14th February 2026 (8 days ago),” a statement from his office said.

“We wish to categorically state that the video in question is misleading and does not present an accurate account of the events of that day,” the statement added.

According to COTU-K, the funeral service in question was covered extensively by mainstream media houses, including KTN News, NTV Kenya and Citizen TV, all of which captured Atwoli’s remarks during the ceremony.

“Notably, the remarks of Atwoli during the said funeral were captured by KTN News, NTV and Citizen TV which were all present during the funeral service,” the statement noted.

COTU-K further pointed out that the funeral proceedings were broadcast live on YouTube, arguing that any disruption of the magnitude suggested in the viral clip would have immediately attracted widespread attention.

“Moreover, the funeral proceedings were broadcast live on YouTube, and as is often the case in our digital age, any such incident-had it occurred-would have spread across social media platforms instantly,” the statement read.

“It is, therefore, telling that this alleged incident is only emerging more than eight days later, and in the form of a heavily edited clip.”

The union body said the episode highlights the growing threat posed by misinformation and manipulated digital content, particularly targeting high-profile public figures.

“This development underscores the growing challenge of misinformation and the increasing misuse of technology to manipulate public perception, as we are living in an era where deepfakes and digitally altered content can easily distort reality, unfairly targeting public leaders and institutions,” the statement said.

“It is very unfortunate that leaders who occupy significant public space, including the COTU (K) Secretary General, Dr  Francis Atwoli, continue to be subjected to such deliberate misinformation campaigns.”

COTU-K has now urged Kenyans to exercise caution when consuming and sharing information online.

“As COTU (K) we wish to call upon Kenyans to exercise caution, verify information before sharing, and use their social media platforms responsibly,” the statement said.

The viral video comes at a time when concerns over digital misinformation and doctored content are rising in Kenya, with public figures increasingly raising alarm over the reputational damage caused by altered or misleading social media posts.