This People Daily front page shared on X (formerly Twitter) claiming that the immediate former Deputy President (DP) Rigathi Gachagua tendered his resignation is ALTERED.
The purported front page shared on October 10, 2024, has a photo of Gachagua with the headline: “Gachagua Resigns!”
Other fill-in news stories appearing on the front page were; ‘The rot in Sports Ministry over AFCON billions,’ ‘Ingonga defends himself on Tana Athi boss case’, and ‘How Kenyans lost Sh 6.6b in edible oil scandal.’
The front page was shared following Gachagua’s bid to save his position following the tabling of the impeachment motion in parliament by Kibwezi MP Eckomas Mwengi Mutuse.
Former DP Gachagua denied all the 11 charges levelled against him seeking his removal from office and on 7 October 2024 held a live televised address to address the charges.
The House on 8 October voted 282-44 to impeach him, leaving it to the Senate to decide his fate.
After two days of hearings, the Senate upheld Hon.Ghachagua’s impeachment by the National Assembly and voted to remove him from office on 17 October.
After a protracted court battle on 1st November, Prof. Kithure Kindiki was sworn in as the new DP.
But did People Daily report that Gachagua had resigned on 10 October?
VERIFICATION
A search on the People Daily’s official website revealed the original newspaper in their Epaper section as stored in their archives.
The original e-paper was published on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, and bore the headline; “The fall of a tribal chief.”
The original subheading was; ‘HISTORIC IMPEACHMENT MOTION Gachagua’s fate now lies in the Senate as he stares at political ignominy after lawmakers vote to kick him out of office.’
The original front page shows a coloured picture of the former DP Gachagua addressing Members of the National Assembly wearing a dark blue suit, light blue shirt, red tie and Kenyan map lapel pin.
Other fill-in news stories appearing on the front page were; ‘The rot in Sports Ministry over AFCON billions’ (NEWS Beat PG 7); ‘Ingonga defends himself on Tana Athi boss case’ (PG 2), and ‘How Kenyans lost Sh 6.6b in edible oil scandal’ (PAGE 3).
Additionally, Lake Region Bulletin established that People Daily did not publish the purported 10 October edition and flagged the front page as fake.
VERDICT: Lake Region Bulletin found that People Daily did not report on Gachagua’s resignation and the purported front page was altered.
This fact-check was produced by Lake Region Bulletin under the African Fact-Checking Incubator programme, with support from PesaCheck, Code For Africa’s fact-checking initiative, and the African Fact-checking Alliance (AFCA).
