Kenya: Disregard Fake Newspaper Front Page Claiming Rigathi Gachagua 'Worst Vice President' in Kenya's History

Disregard fake newspaper front page claiming Rigathi Gachagua 'worst vice president' in Kenya's history

IN SHORT: A front page imitating the design of Kenya's Standard newspaper claims Rigathi Gachagua is the country's worst deputy president. But this claim, like the front page, has been fabricated.

"Hon Mwengi Mutuse wherever you are may GOD bless you because you really helped Kenyans when you initiated the impeachment of this loose Cannon. It's my first time to agree with Standard Digital," reads a caption of an image circulating on Facebook.

The image appears to be the front page of Kenya's Standard newspaper. The page, dated 2 December 2025, features the headline: "Kenya's worst deputy president ever."

The summary below the headline said Rigathi Gachagua's tenure as Kenya's deputy president was characterised by instability and political drama, and that his exit was "one of the best decisions for the country's progress".

Impeached in October 2022, Gachagua was accused of corruption, inciting ethnic divisions and undermining the government. Mwengi Mutuse, a member of parliament for Kibwezi East, brought the motion against Gachagua.

But is the front page authentic? We checked.

Altered front page

Africa Check discovered that the circulating front page originated from the Facebook page Daily Standard, notorious for several digitally altered front pages imitating the design of the Standard newspaper. This suggests that the one in question may also be fake.

The genuine Standard newspaper usually posts digital versions of its front pages on its verified social media accounts, including Facebook and X, as well as on its e-paper platform. We searched the social media accounts and the platform and found the original front page from 2 December 2025.

The genuine front page features the headline: "Hit by Russia's war." It tells the story of a Kenyan man who was duped into travelling to Russia for a job and ended up on the front lines of Russia's war in Ukraine.

The version circulating on social media has been altered and should be ignored.

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