IN SHORT: A viral graphic claims that Royal Media Services chairperson SK Macharia fired Linus Kaikai, the editorial director at Citizen TV. However, the channel told Africa Check that this didn’t happen.
A graphic is circulating on Facebook with the claim that Royal Media Services' chairperson, SK Macharia, fired his editorial director, Linus Kaikai, over the alleged biased coverage of the protests that took place in Kenya on Wednesday, 25 June 2025.
The graphic reads: “NEWS ALERT Royal Media chairman SK Macharia fires Editorial Director Linus Kaikai over skewed coverage of today’s protests. Kaikai is accused of working with civil society to topple the government.”
It features the logo and branding of Kenya’s leading online news platform, Citizen Digital, and mimics the format of their digital news graphics. A small photo of Kaikai gives the impression that the information is official and verified.
Kaikai is the editorial director at Royal Media Services, which owns Citizen TV, the country’s most watched channel. He is known for his strong stance on press freedom and media independence.
SK Macharia, whose full name is Samuel Kamau Macharia, is the founder and chair of Royal Media Services, which runs an extensive network of television and radio stations. He is a prominent figure in Kenya's media industry.
This graphic began circulating online on 25 June 2025. On this day, Kenyans honoured the memory of those killed by the police during the protests against the 2024 Finance Bill and subsequent demonstrations. These renewed protests saw a nationwide turnout and were characterised by strong calls for justice and accountability.
During the protests, the Communications Authority of Kenya ordered all television and radio stations to cease live coverage, citing public order legislation.
The regulator shut down the live feeds of major broadcasters, including Citizen TV, NTV and KTN, after they continued broadcasting. The Law Society of Kenya challenged the decision in court and a judge ruled that the shutdown was illegal, ordering the restoration of media transmissions.
The claim that Kaikai was fired appears to exploit this backdrop of government-media tension.
The graphic has been posted here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But is it legitimate? We checked.
Fake graphic
We searched Citizen TV’s official social media platforms, where the station usually publishes breaking news alerts, but could not find the graphic.
The font used in the viral graphic is also different to the one typically used in Citizen Digital’s official news alerts. This clearly shows that the graphic is fake.
We also contacted Citizen TV directly to verify the claim. A representative confirmed that the graphic was fake and that no action had been taken against Kaikai.
This fake graphic also appears here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
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