A graphic circulating on Facebook quotes Kenyan politician Rigathi Gachagua, the running mate of presidential candidate William Ruto, as casting doubt on the integrity of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
“We shall announce our results from the HNIB tallying centre,” the quote reads. “We no longer trust the IEBC. Hatupangwingwi.”
“Hatupangwingwi” is a Kenyan catchphrase that means “We cannot be dictated to.”
Kenya held general elections on 9 August 2022. Gachagua and Ruto ran on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket. If their party wins the presidential vote, Gachagua would become deputy president.
HNIB, the Hustler Nation Intelligence Bureau, is linked to the UDA and has been tallying votes cast for the party.
The graphic shows the logo of Kameme FM, a radio station that broadcasts in the Kikuyu language widely spoken in central Kenya.
Since vote counting began, media outlets and the IEBC have been projecting results from polling stations across Kenya’s 47 counties.
But different TV stations have broadcast different results in the presidential race, sparking debate on social media.
IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati has urged Kenyans to not panic over the differing results, saying they all come from the same source.
But did Kameme FM really quote Gachagua as saying this? If true, the statement would add to the tension caused by an extraordinarily close race.
‘Be safe from rumours’
Kameme FM, through its official Facebook page, has dismissed the graphic as “FAKE”.
“Ndũmĩrĩri ĩno ndiumĩte gwa Kameme Fm. Tũrũmĩrĩre nenda-inĩ ciitũ nĩguo kwĩhũga ndeto cia mũhuhu,” the station wrote in Kikuyu.
This translates as: “This information does not originate from Kameme FM. Follow us on our social media platforms to be safe from rumours."
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Publishers guideAfrica Check teams up with Facebook
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Further Reading
A cloudy outlook? What we are learning about election disinformation in Africa and what you can do about it
As nearly a dozen countries prepare to hold presidential elections, the spread of disinformation is inflaming Africa's political landscape.
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