IN SHORT: An image of a front page supposedly from Kenya’s Standard newspaper claims there has been peace in the country since former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua left for the US. However, the front page is digitally altered.
Kenya’s former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua travelled to the United States on 9 July 2025. He said during the two-month trip, he would engage Kenyans in diaspora and the international community on the state of the nation.
Barely two weeks after his departure, an image supposedly showing the front page of Kenya’s Standard newspaper began circulating on social media.
The front page, dated 19 July, features the headline: “No Gachagua, No Goons Kenya Breathes Easy.”
The summary claims that Kenyans “are expressing visible relief as former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua remains abroad, with many associating his absence with the recent calm and order across the country”.
It also says Gachagua has been linked to the violent mobilisation of so-called goons who destroy property during protests and that he is increasingly viewed as a destabilising force.
“Citizens say his prolonged stay away has allowed communities to enjoy peace, stability, and development without fear of chaos. With the country now focused on progress under President Ruto's leadership, many are openly hoping Gachagua continues his extended ‘vacation’ far from Kenya's politics,” it says.
In June and July, Kenya faced violent anti-government protests that resulted in deaths and widespread destruction of property. Politicians within the government have blamed Gachagua for the chaos witnessed during the protests, but he maintains that the government is responsible.
Gachagua was Kenya’s deputy president from 2022 until his impeachment in October 2024, following a fallout with president William Ruto. Ruto and other pro-government politicians accused him of dividing Kenyans along ethnic lines.
Since his impeachment, he has mobilised opposition against Ruto, working with key opposition figures to form an alliance for the 2027 elections in a bid to unseat the president.
The front page has been posted here and here. (Note: See more instances listed at the end of this report.)
But is it authentic? We checked.
Fake front page
Africa Check discovered that the front page originated from the Facebook page Daily Standard, which has previously posted digitally altered front pages mimicking the design of the Standard newspaper. This suggests that the front page in question may also have been fabricated.
The Standard newspaper usually posts digital versions of its front pages on its verified social media accounts, including Facebook and X, as well as on its e-paper platform. We searched the accounts and the platform and found the original front page for 19 July 2025.
The genuine front page features the headline: “Ward of death.” It reports on two murders that occurred in a ward at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in the capital, Nairobi. KNH is Kenya’s flagship public hospital.
The circulating front page has been digitally altered.
The fake front page also appears here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
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