Memo requesting Kenya's anti-corruption agency vet four new cabinet nominees fake, should be ignored
IN SHORT: A memo circulating online, supposedly from the clerk of the Kenyan national assembly, is requesting Kenya's anti-corruption agency to vet four cabinet secretary nominees. But it is fake.
"In line with our constitutional mandate to ensure transparency and integrity in the appointment of high-ranking officials, we hereby submit a list of individuals nominated for cabinet secretary, with a request for your Commissions vetting," reads a document circulating on Facebook in Kenya.
The document is addressed to the chief executive of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Abdi Ahmed Mohamud. It is dated 30 October 2025 and has seemingly been signed off by Samuel Njoroge, the clerk of the national assembly.
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"Samburu West MP Hon Naisula Lesuda, Sen. Methu, Sen Edwin Sifuna & Sen Gideon Moi are among the shortlisted," reads a caption to the document.
According to the document, the four nominees are John Muhia Methu, Edwin Watenya Sifuna, Naisula Josephine Lesuuda and Gideon Towett Moi.
Methu is the senator of Nyandarua county and a close ally of former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua. Gachagua is one of the leaders of the united opposition set to face off against president William Ruto in the 2027 general elections. Methu has warned Ruto that the Mount Kenya region will determine whether he secures a second presidential term.
Sifuna is the senator of Nairobi, Kenya's capital, and the secretary general of the Orange Democratic Movement. Despite the ODM having an alliance with Ruto's administration, Sifuna has hinted at the party fielding a presidential candidate in 2027.
Lesuuda, who is the Samburu West member of parliament, and Gideon Moi, senator for Baringo, are both members of the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party. In October 2025 Ruto announced that KANU would be joining the broad-based government.
If legitimate, the nomination of Methu, Lesuuda, Sifuna and Moi to be in Ruto's cabinet would advance Ruto's strategy of consolidating allies to secure a second presidential term.
The document has also been shared here, here and here. But is it legitimate? We checked.
Document did not originate from parliament of Kenya
Africa Check found no credible media reports about the vetting of four new cabinet nominees. If this development was legitimate, local news outlets would have reported on it.
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On 31 October, Kenya's parliament posted the circulating document on their official Facebook account with the words "fake" printed across it.
"This document did not originate from the National Assembly or the Parliament of Kenya. It is FAKE. Kindly disregard it," reads the post.
The circulating document is fake and should be ignored.
