IN SHORT: A front page mimicking the design of Kenya's Standard newspaper describes Kenyan governor Gladys Wanga as having "relentless greed for power". However, it is one of many fabricated front pages aimed at defaming prominent Kenyan politicians.
An image of what appears to be the front page of Kenya's Standard newspaper describes Kenyan governor Gladys Wanga as having "relentless greed for power" and being "driven more by personal ambition than the interests of her community".
The front page, dated 4 December 2025, carries the headline: "Greed Sinks Gladys Wanga."
"Gladys Wanga's relentless greed for power has blown open a fierce battle for control of the Luo nation, exposing her overambitious scheme to force herself into the national conversation as a future Deputy President," its summary reads.
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According to the image, Wanga's failed attempts to take over the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party after its leader, Raila Odinga, died in October 2025 were marked by "backroom deals, open defiance of senior leaders and an insatiable hunger to dominate the region's politics".
"What was meant to be her grand leap to the top has instead revealed a politician driven more by personal ambition than the interests of her community, leaving her influence shaken and her political future uncertain," it concludes.
The Luo, a community in western Kenya, is one of the country's largest ethnic groups.
Wanga is the governor of Homa Bay county in western Kenya and serves as the national chairperson of the ODM party.
Kenyan president William Ruto and Odinga had been political rivals for years, but in March 2025, they signed a deal to officially work together. Odinga's death, however, appeared to split the party, with senior party leaders divided on whether the pact should hold during the 2027 general elections and beyond. Wanga is among the leaders supporting the agreement.
The front page has been posted on Facebook pages and groups.
But is it authentic? We checked.
Fake front page
We traced the origin of the front page to a Facebook page called Daily Standard, which has previously posted digitally altered front pages mimicking the design of the Standard newspaper. This indicates that the front page in question is likely fake.
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The Standard 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 these accounts and the platform and located the authentic front page for 4 December.
The genuine front page featured the headline: "Mbijiwe: Dead or alive?" It discusses security analyst Mwenda Mbijiwe, who has been missing for more than four years, and details how a Kenyan high court has summoned top police chiefs to account for his whereabouts.
The circulating front page is fake and should be ignored.
