Kenya: No Evidence Kenyan Opposition Politician Matiang'i Has Hinted At Relocating to the Us If Defeated in 2027 Elections

20 August 2026
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Dancan Bwire

IN SHORT: A graphic circulating on social media quotes Kenyan opposition politician Fred Matiang'i as hinting at relocating to the US if defeated in the 2027 general election. But we found no evidence that he made such remarks.

A graphic circulating on social media attributes a controversial remark to Kenyan opposition politician Fred Matiang'i.

In the graphic, Matiang'i appears to hint at relocating to the US if he is defeated in Kenya's 2027 presidential election.

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The graphic features his image and reads: "IF I LOSE THE NEXT ELECTION I WILL LEAVE KENYA AND GO BACK TO MY WORLD BANK JOB."

It also features the logo of Kenyans.co.ke, implying that the Kenyan news agency published it.

Users who posted the graphic have used it to ridicule him, labelling him weak and claiming he has seen signs that he will be defeated in the elections.

The World Bank is an international organisation that works with governments to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development worldwide. Matiang'i worked with the organisation before returning to Kenya in mid-2025 to concentrate on politics.

Matiang'i is a prominent politician in Kenya and the deputy leader of the former ruling party, Jubilee. He has declared his intention to run for president in 2027. He previously served as a cabinet secretary under former president Uhuru Kenyatta, heading various ministries between 2013 and 2022.

He is among Kenyan opposition politicians seeking to unite in an effort to unseat president William Ruto in 2027. Ruto has announced that he will be seeking a second term.

The graphic has been widely posted. But can this quote be trusted? We checked.

Fake graphic

One obvious sign that the graphic is not legit is that its font differs significantly from that of a genuine Kenyans.co.ke graphic. The quote is also written in capital letters, which is not the case with genuine graphics from the news site.

Kenyans.co.ke often posts its graphics on its verified social media accounts, including Facebook and X. Africa Check searched these accounts but found no trace of the graphic.

Similarly, we did not find the remarks reported by any credible media outlets, another indication that they could have been fabricated.

The evidence points to a fake graphic that should be disregarded.

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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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