Photo does not show angry crowd in Kenya chasing MP who backed deputy’s impeachment

The historic decision to impeach Kenya's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has sparked disinformation online over the polarising issue. Following the motion's approval by the National Assembly, an image circulated with claims that it showed a mob attacking House majority leader Kimani Ichung’wa for rallying MPs to support the impeachment. However, a reverse image search reveals the photo is old and shows Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja being pelted with stones during a market visit in August 2024.

An X account identifying as “Rigathi’s comms” shared an image claiming to show Ichung’wa being violently chased away from one of the hearing venues, as the public participation sessions were taking place on October 4, 2024.

“For those who are asking where is Kimani Ichung'wah, here is the answer. He was trying to address but chased away by angry Residents outside Kiambu Hall. This has happened during the public participation on impeachment of DP Rigathi Gachagua (sic),” the post reads.

The image shows men providing a protective circle around a person as they flee an angry mob.

Beneath the image, a headline – alongside a logo of local news site Tuko.co.ke – reads: “Kimani Ichung’wa flees Kiambu County Hall as angry mob accuses him of trying to manipulate Gachagua’s impeachment outcome”.

The same image was used in this news article with a similar headline.

Historic impeachment

In a historic move last week, Kenya's lower House of parliament voted overwhelmingly to impeach Gachagua on 11 charges, including corruption and abuse of office - allegations denied by the 59-year-old.

Senate members endorsed the decision on October 17, sealing the first removal of a deputy president from office since impeachment was introduced in Kenya's revised 2010 constitution (archived here).

President William Ruto nominated his interior minister as the deputy leader

The move has split sentiment in the country, with some legislators who supported the motion facing public backlash (archived here and here).

Public participation meetings revealed divisions over the motion, with some Kenyans calling for the impeachment of both Gachagua and Ruto, as the pair was elected together (archived here).

While lawmakers, including Ichung’wa, have publicly expressed concerns over their security following the impeachment motion, the claim about the image is false.

Unrelated image

A reverse image search revealed the image was taken in August 2024 during an incident involving Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.

According to local reports, Sakaja was chased away by traders from a market in the city that had been destroyed by an overnight fire. His security team attempted to shield him from the stone-throwing mob (archived here).

A video report by KTN News titled “Governor Sakaja chased away by Irate residents in Toi market” captured the same scene shared in the false post (archived here).

The managing director of news site Tuko.co.ke told AFP Fact Check that “malicious” users have been using a template of their graphics to spread misinformation.

“In the past few weeks, we’ve been getting lots of such graphics with our logo on it which we flagged as fake,” Julia Majale said.