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More Kenyan senators support county funding proposal? No, newspaper headline altered

“More senators to support Uhuru, Raila proposals,” reads the front page headline of what seems to be the 4 August 2020 edition of Kenya’s the Star newspaper, posted on Facebook.

“Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ukur Yatani brokers deal to send counties Sh187b,” text below the headline reads.

In early 2019 a proposal on how government funds should be shared among the country’s 47 counties was tabled in the senate. But thanks to a political stalemate, it still hasn’t been passed.

If more senators support the proposal, why the deadlock? Is the headline legit?



‘Merchants of fake news’


The Star has alerted readers that the headline is fake. In fact, it’s the opposite of what the newspaper reported.

On 4 August it tweeted the fake front page next to its actual 4 August 2020 edition. The real headline reads: “25 senators plot to reject Uhuru, Raila proposals.”

[EMBED TWEET]

Oliver Mathenge, the Star’s editor, also tweeted the two pages, with the comment: “The merchants of fake news are at it again.” – Grace Gichuhi




 

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