IN SHORT: A graphic quoting Kenya's interior minister Kipchumba Murkomen criticising teachers for allegedly complaining that employment letters are being sold is circulating on social media. However, the graphic is fake.
On 22 August 2026, Kenya's speaker of the national assembly Moses Wetang'ula sparked controversy after claiming that State House has been issuing Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employment letters to members of parliament to distribute to their constituents.
According to him, instead of distributing the letters issued by president William Ruto for free, the legislators sell them for thousands of Kenyan shillings to desperate unemployed teachers.
His remarks drew criticism because the employment of teachers, a role traditionally reserved for TSC, is now viewed as a means of political gain. Others have questioned whether the commission is truly independent as required by the constitution.
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As the debate rages, a graphic claiming that Kenya's interior minister Kipchumba Murkomen has criticised teachers for allegedly complaining about the distribution of the letters is circulating on social media.
"If you know the president is giving out TSC letters to his friends Why become a teacher," it reads.
It features the logo of Kenyans.co.ke, suggesting that the Kenyan news outlet published it.
The TSC is a constitutional commission responsible for registering, employing, assigning, promoting and disciplining teachers in Kenya's public schools, as well as regulating teaching standards across the country.
Ruto appointed Murkomen to the position in December 2024. He had previously led the ministries of roads and transport, and youth affairs, creative economy and sports.
The graphic has been posted widely, but can it be trusted? We checked.
Fake graphic
Africa Check noticed that the circulating graphic's font does not resemble that of a genuine Kenyans.co.ke graphic. It is also badly punctuated. These are early signs that it could be fabricated.
Kenyans.co.ke often posts its graphics on its verified social media accounts, including Facebook and X. Africa Check searched these accounts and found the original graphic quoting Murkomen, which the news site posted on 12 August 2026.
It reads: "Rigathi Gachagua will exploit anything under the sun to resuscitate a failed political career. You've made it your business to fight me for relevance. I can live with that. But using the death of Ng'eno to score cheap political attention ahead of your visit to Emurua-Dikirr is both pathetic and unfortunate."
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The original graphic focused on the remarks Murkomen made about former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua's visit to Emurua Dikirr in Narok county, southwestern Kenya. It had nothing to do with TSC employment letters.
The graphic quoting Murkomen on TSC jobs is fake, and the quote is fabricated.
