IN SHORT: Graphics attributed to several news agencies claim that Marianne Kitany has been summoned by Kenya’s anti-corruption agency for the supply of fake fertiliser. But the graphics are fake and should be ignored.
A graphic attributed to the news site Kenyans.co.ke is circulating on social media in Kenya.
It features a photo of Marianne Kitany and reads: “Marianne Keitany to be summoned by EACC for supply of fake fertiliser.”
Kitany was president William Ruto’s chief of staff when he was the deputy president. She is currently a member of parliament for the Aldai constituency in Nandi county.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is responsible for gathering information and reporting on corruption in the government and public sector.
In March 2024, the investigative journalism outlet Africa Uncensored released a documentary titled: “Fertile Deception.” It exposed the distribution of fake government fertiliser across Kenya. Following the exposé, there were calls for the resignation of cabinet secretary for agriculture, Mithika Linturi.
Kitany and Linturi were previously married and were embroiled in public legal separation proceedings in September 2019, which attracted media attention and commentary.
In an interview with television station K24 on 28 March, Kitany was asked whether president Ruto should fire Linturi, a question that some viewed as sensationalist.
The graphic has been shared here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here on Facebook.
Similar digital cards attributed to the Nation, Citizen and Standard Kenya have been shared on social media linking Kitany and Linturi in the fertiliser scandal because of their past relationship. These images have been shared on X (formerly Twitter) here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
But have these media houses reported on Kitany’s involvement in the fertiliser scandal? We checked.
Flagged as fake
On 13 April 2024, Kenyans.co.ke posted the circulating graphic on its official Facebook account, with the word “fake” printed in red.
“This post did not emanate from our media house. We therefore flag it as FAKE,” the post reads.
A search for the circulating graphics on the official social media pages of the Nation, Citizen and Standard Kenya also came up empty.
The circulating graphics are fake and should be ignored.
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