Kenya's Star Newspaper Didn't Report On Former President Kenyatta Angling for Political Deal for His Brother

31 March 2025
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Makinia Juma Sylvia

Kenya's Star newspaper didn't report on former president Kenyatta angling for political deal for his brother

IN SHORT: A screenshot claiming that Kenyatta was working on a political deal for his brother is circulating online. It is attributed to the Star. But the newspaper says it has not published such a story.

A screenshot circulating on Facebook shows a column from Kenya's Star newspaper. It suggests that former president Uhuru Kenyatta is brokering a political deal to ensure his younger brother Muhoho Kenyatta's political debut through a Kenya Kwanza-Orange Democratic Movement arrangement.

Kenya Kwanza is the ruling party, while the ODM is the main opposition. However, the two entered a political deal in March 2025.

The claim in the screenshot of what appears to be the print version of Corridors of Power, a popular political gossip column in the paper, features images of the two Kenyatta brothers and former cabinet secretary Fred Matiang'i.

Matiang'i is said to be eyeing the presidency in 2027. Muhoho Kenyatta is in business and has largely stayed out of frontline politics. Speculation about his potential entry into politics is often fuelled by the Kenyatta family's historical influence and wealth. His father, Jomo Kenyatta, was Kenya's first president.

The column, posted on the social media platform X on 12 March 2025, reads: "Just when you thought he was out, the former president is back this time playing kingmaker. Word is the former president's secret deal; he wants his brother's political debut secured in the Kenya Kwanza-ODM deal. His offer? Matiang'i's 2027 ambitions--gone. If Ruto's camp agrees the field clears for Kenya Kwanza. Is this the masterstroke that paves the way for a Kenyatta comeback?"

Kenya's political scene is known for complex power plays and alliances.

Uhuru Kenyatta, who left office in 2022 after two terms, remains a significant political figure, particularly in the dynamics of the Mount Kenya region. The region refers to areas around central Kenya traditionally inhabited by the Kikuyu, Embu, and Meru communities. It was instrumental in Kenya Kwanza's 2022 electoral victory.

In this context, claims of secret deals, political ambitions being "sacrificed," and behind-the-scenes kingmaking are not just gossip, as they can influence public perceptions and distort the debate in the run-up to elections.

The screenshot is designed to look like political gossip from the Star's print edition. But is it authentic? We checked.

Fake screenshot

Corridors of Power focuses on short stories of political gossip, often written anonymously. The column does not typically include photos of a story's subjects. The image making the rounds online is therefore inconsistent with how the column usually appears in print.

We also searched the Star's website for the story and came up empty.

But there are other red flags. We couldn't find any reports of the behind-the-scenes king-making in the local media, as would be expected.

The Star posted the image on its verified X platform and Facebook accounts with the stamp "FAKE".

"If it is not on our official pages, it is FAKE! Get the real copy by visiting mgazeti.com" the newspaper wrote. The screenshot is a fabrication.

Read the original story, with links and other resources.
Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

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