No, influential Kenyan evangelist Teresia Wairimu was not removed from State House prayer group for criticising ruling party
IN SHORT: A viral graphic claims Kenyan evangelist Teresia Wairimu has been kicked out of the State House prayer group because of her criticism of Kenya Kwanza's policies. But news outlet Tuko.co.ke, which allegedly reported this, said the graphic was fake.
A graphic has been circulating on Facebook in Kenya, claiming that well-known Kenyan evangelist Teresia Wairimu has been kicked out of a WhatsApp group of State House "intercessors".
The graphic reads: "Rev. Wairimu Removed from State House Intercessors WhatsApp Group Following Criticism of President Ruto's Policies."
It bears the logo of Tuko.co.ke, a popular Kenyan news site.
State House is the official residence of Kenya's president, William Ruto.
The State House intercessors are a group of Christian leaders who have been invited by Ruto to pray for the nation and the government. They are not a formally constituted group with specific criteria for those who wish to join.
In October 2024, Wairimu openly criticised Kenya's ruling Kenya Kwanza government for what she saw as a lack of progress on key issues affecting the people.
Kenya Kwanza is a political alliance led by Ruto. The church was influential in Ruto's election in August 2022 and subsequently gained access to the State House, the seat of the presidency.
Wairimu is the founder of Faith Evangelistic Ministry, established in 1989 and known for its emphasis on prayer and intercession. Her ministry attracts thousands of people, including prominent political figures.
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She has maintained close ties with the government over the years. However, her public statements criticising certain government policies have attracted attention and signalled a shift from her previous support.
Her criticism underlines the growing dissatisfaction among some religious leaders in Kenya with the government's approach to governance and service delivery. It reflects wider concerns about the direction of the Ruto administration's policies.
It is in this context that the graphic has been circulating, including here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of the report.)
But did Tuko.co.ke publish the graphic? We checked.
Fake graphic
It is odd, given the attention it would attract in Kenya, that other media have not reported on Wairimu's ejection.
To further confirm that the information is fake, Tuko.co.ke has also flagged the image as "FAKE".
"Beware of people propagating fake news using our logo. If a story is not posted on our verified pages and website, it does not come from us. Let's stop misinformation, disinformation, and malformation," the publication wrote on Facebook.
The fake graphic has also been published here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
