Kenya: No Evidence of Former Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua Being 'Saved' From Government-Linked Plot - Image Ai-Generated

16 April 2026
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Grace Gichuhi

No evidence of former Kenyan deputy president Rigathi Gachagua being 'saved' from government-linked plot - image AI-generated

IN SHORT: An image has been posted on Facebook with the claim it shows Gachagua being "saved" from an alleged plot. But visual inconsistencies indicate AI generation, and there are no credible reports of such an incident.

An image has been published on Facebook with the claim it shows an Ol Kalou villager "saving" former Kenyan deputy president Rigathi Gachagua from "evil plans" by interior minister Kipchumba Murkomen.

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The post includes an image of a man in a white T-shirt and rubber boots, leaning in to whisper to Gachagua at a microphone, as security officers appear to restrain him on a public stage.

Ol Kalou is a town in Nyandarua county, about 140 kilometres northwest of Nairobi, Kenya's capital.

Murkomen and Gachagua both served under president William Ruto. Murkomen is the cabinet secretary for the interior and national administration, while Gachagua was deputy president until being impeached in 2024.

In April 2026, Gachagua attended the funeral of Ol Kalou member of parliament David Kiaraho in Nyandarua. Ruto was also in attendance. The event drew public attention due to visible political tensions, including reported exchanges between Ruto and Gachagua.

This image has also been posted here, here, here, here and here.

But what does this image really show? We checked.

AI-generated image

Visual inconsistencies suggest the image is not real. The hand of the man whispering to Gachagua appears to blend into Gachagua's coat, with no clear separation, a common artefact of images generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Several people in the image also have unnatural eye focus, with their gaze not aligned to the main action, another typical sign of AI-generated images.

For more tips, read our guide to spotting AI-generated images and videos.

There are also no credible media reports of any such incident. If a public figure like Gachagua had been targeted in this way it would have been widely covered by the media.

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Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. X @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

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