Ignore fake graphic claiming Kenyan politician Fred Matiang'i has dropped 2027 presidential bid
IN SHORT: The Jubilee Party in Kenya has endorsed former cabinet secretary for interior Fred Matiang'i for president ahead of the country's 2027 election. According to a graphic circulating on social media, he has rejected the offer. But the graphic is fabricated.
Kenya's former cabinet secretary for interior Fred Matiang'i has dropped his 2027 presidential ambition to follow opposition leader Raila Odinga's political direction. This is according to a graphic going viral on social media in Kenya.
"I've done some soul searching, and although Jubilee has endorsed me to run in 2027, I feel compelled to support the direction Raila is going. I will not run this time round," the graphic reads.
It features the branding of Tuko.co.ke, a popular Kenyan news website, implying that they published it.
Kenya will hold its next general election in 2027.
The graphic started circulating barely a month after the Jubilee Party, led by former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, endorsed Matiang'i as its 2027 presidential candidate. Jubilee was Kenya's ruling party between 2017 and 2022.
Matiang'i's stint in government and political future
Matiang'i was part of Kenyatta's cabinet from 2013 to 2022. He first served as cabinet secretary for information, communications and technology. He moved to the education ministry before becoming cabinet secretary for interior.
He was also appointed chairperson of the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee, which included all cabinet secretaries, the attorney general, and the head of the public service.
As committee chair, he was in charge of delivering all national government programmes and projects and reported directly to the president. As a result, he quickly earned the name "super minister".
But he soon fell out with Kenyan president William Ruto, who was deputy president at the time. Ruto accused Matiang'i of frustrating his presidential bid and campaigning for his then opponent Raila Odinga, who was backed by Kenyatta.
Matiang'i has kept a low profile since his exit from active politics in 2022 but is reportedly eyeing the presidency in 2027.
President Ruto and Odinga resolved their differences in 2024. Ruto even included members of Odinga's party, the Orange Democratic Movement, in his new cabinet.
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According to some users, the graphic proves that, like Odinga, Matiang'i will work with Ruto to further boost the incumbent's 2027 re-election prospects.
The graphic also appears here and here. (Note: See more instances listed at the end of this report.)
But is it legit? We checked.
'This is fake'
Such a statement by Matiang'i would have been picked up by local media, but Africa Check found no credible news agencies reporting such a quote.
Tuko.co.ke often posts its graphics on its verified social media accounts, including Facebook and X. Africa Check searched for the graphic on the accounts and came up empty.
Africa Check contacted Tuko.co.ke and asked if the graphic was genuine.
"This is fake. If a media card isn't posted on our verified social media platforms or can't be traced back to the same platforms, then it is not from us," they told us.
The graphic is fake and should be ignored.
The fake graphic was also posted here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
