A graphic supposedly published by the widely read Nation news site has been posted on Facebook in July 2022.
Headlined “Martha leads Rigathi”, the graphic seemingly shows the results of a presidential running mate poll in Kenya. The country votes on 9 August 2022.
Kenya’s presidential running mate debates were held on 19 July. (Read our fact-check of the debates here.)
The graphic ranks Azimio la Umoja One Kenya candidate Martha Karua as the debate’s winner, with 56% support. She is ahead of Kenya Kwanza’s candidate, Rigathi Gachagua, with 44% support.
Azimio and Kenya Kwanza are the perceived frontrunners in the poll.
Karua, a former Kenyan justice minister, is the running mate of former prime minister Raila Odinga. Gachagua, the member of parliament for Mathira constituency, is Kenya's deputy president William Ruto's running mate.
But is the opinion poll attributed to Nation authentic?
‘Fake’
We searched Nation’s website, Facebook page and Twitter account but did not find any more information on the poll.
On 20 July 2022, Nation posted the graphic on its Twitter account, stamped ‘FAKE’ in large red font.
“Beware of fake news! If it’s not on our official social media pages, it’s fake,” the publication said.
Pollsters have become a popular target of disinformation campaigns in Kenya. Misleading numbers threaten voters’ ability to make informed decisions in the election.
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