Kenya: No, Kenya's Standard Newspaper Didn't Publish a Front-Page Warning Against 'Burning' Nyandarua

No, Kenya's Standard newspaper didn't publish a front-page warning against 'burning' Nyandarua

IN SHORT: What appears to be the front page of the newspaper reports that residents of Nyandarua are pleading with leaders allied to former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua not to "burn" the county ahead of the Ol Kalou by-election. But the front page is fake.

An image of what looks like the front page of Kenya's Standard newspaper is circulating on social media ahead of the upcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election in Nyandarua county.

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Nyandarua county is about 150 kilometres northwest of Nairobi, Kenya's capital.

The front page, dated 28 May 2026, features the headline: "Don't Burn Nyandarua."

According to the text on the front page, fear and tension are rising in Nyandarua due to competition between political camps.

The summary reads:

As the Ol Kalou by-election nears, fear and tension are rising in Nyandarua due to the intense political pressure from camps linked to Rigathi Gachagua and John Methu. Residents are now pleading with DCP leaders to keep peace, warning that no election is worth dividing or burning the constituency because Kenya is bigger than everyone.

It features an image of Gachagua alongside Methu against a backdrop of flames, reinforcing the message of the headline.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) scheduled the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election for 16 July. The contest has attracted national attention as one of the first major political tests in the Mt Kenya region ahead of the 2027 general election, with candidates backed by the ruling party, United Democratic Alliance (UDA), facing off against those supported by Gachagua's Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).

Gachagua was Kenya's deputy president from 2022 until he was impeached in October 2024 after falling out with president William Ruto, who leads the UDA. Gachagua has remained active in the country's political landscape and leads the DCP.

Methu is the senator for Nyandarua county and a close ally of Gachagua. He was elected on a UDA ticket. Methu has previously warned Ruto that the Mt Kenya region will determine whether he secures a second presidential term.

The front page has been widely posted on social media.

But is it authentic? We checked.

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Fake front page

Africa Check traced the cover to the Facebook page Daily Standard, a frequent source of digitally altered front pages mimicking the design of the Standard newspaper.

The genuine Standard 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 these sources and found the authentic front page for 28 May.

The genuine front page for that date featured the headline: "Ebola unit uproar."

A report accompanies it on a proposed US-funded quarantine and treatment facility in Kenya. The story discussed concerns raised by critics over the planned facility and its implications for public health and national security.

The circulating front page is fake.