Does This Image Show Unmasked  Hooded Gunmen of Ol-Kalau by Elections?

By Nancy Oseur

A post shared on X by the account Youth Without Future (@YwfYouth) claims that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has unmasked the five hooded gunmen who allegedly terrorised residents during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election. The post is accompanied by an image showing five armed men standing outside what appears to be State House and implies that these are the individuals behind the election violence and that they have been officially identified by the DCI.

Background

The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election was conducted following the death of David Njuguna Kiaraho, the constituency’s Member of Parliament, on March 29, 2026. The seat was subsequently declared vacant, prompting the IEBC to schedule a by-election for July 16, 2026.

Nine candidates contested the seat, including Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru (Democracy for the Citizens Party – DCP), Samuel Muchina Nyagah (United Democratic Alliance – UDA), Wilson Mwaniki Kigwa (Jubilee Party), Stephen Wanyoike Waithaka (National Liberal Party) and Timothy Kamau Kariuki (Party of National Reform), among other independent and party candidates.

Allegations of voter inducement and intimidation dominated during the campaign period. Opposition leaders, from the Linda Mwananchi movement, accused UDA of using State resources to influence voters through the distribution of development projects and household items. Among the items and projects repeatedly cited during the campaigns were subsidised LPG gas cylinders, water tanks, cash handouts, promises of 23 electricity projects and power connections, road construction, markets, water projects, title deeds, support for avocado farming, and other government development initiatives unveiled in the constituency shortly before the election. Mavoko MP Patrick Makau, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and former Attorney General Justin Muturi raised alarm over alleged voter bribery ahead of the Ol Kalou by-election. Days before the voting day, a DCP campaign truck was ambushed by hooded, armed men in Chokereria area, Gilgil, ahead of the Ol Kalou by-election.

On polling day, the fears materialised when groups of armed and masked men were captured in videos circulating online. Witnesses and journalists reported that the men, travelling in several vehicles, were seen carrying firearms and other weapons, firing into the air, chasing residents, disrupting voting in some areas and attacking journalists covering the election. The violence overshadowed an exercise that many residents had hoped would be peaceful and prompted widespread condemnation from political leaders, election observers and human rights organisations.

Verification

Following the violence, NTV Kenya published an investigative documentary reconstructing events surrounding the Ol Kalou by-election. Using multiple videos, eyewitness accounts, vehicle tracking and open-source evidence, the investigation identified several individuals who were allegedly present during the violence and traced some of the vehicles used during the attacks.

The investigation described groups of hooded and masked men, some carrying rifles, pistols, rungus and other weapons. The documentary also showed that the men wore different clothing, travelled in multiple SUVs and pickup trucks, and did not wear any official or matching uniform. Rather than identifying five specific gunmen, the investigation documented numerous individuals appearing in different locations throughout the day and reconstructed how they moved across Ol Kalou. The viral image accompanying the X post does not resemble any visuals from the NTV investigation. 

Several visual inconsistencies suggest that the image has been manipulated or generated using artificial intelligence:

• The five men are dressed in identical purple shirts, cropped trousers and similar shoes despite no such attire appearing in authentic footage from Ol Kalou.
• They are posing casually while carrying firearms, with one individual holding a bright pink handbag and another looking at a mobile phone.
• The background appears to place them outside State House, a highly secured government installation where such a scene would be implausible.
• One of the men bears a resemblance to President William Ruto, creating the impression that the image seeks to associate the alleged gunmen with the Head of State despite providing no supporting evidence.
• Facial details, lighting, body proportions and object rendering display inconsistencies commonly associated with AI-generated or manipulated images.

Most importantly, there is no official DCI statement identifying the five men shown in the image as the suspects involved in the Ol Kalou violence. After the election, the DCI confirmed that it had launched investigations and stated that detectives were analysing forensic evidence, digital material and witness accounts to identify those responsible. The agency further stated that anyone found to have planned, financed, incited or participated in the violence would face prosecution regardless of status or political affiliation. However, the DCI did not state that the suspects had been identified, nor did it attribute sponsorship of the violence to President William Ruto or State House. 

The viral post therefore goes beyond the available evidence by presenting an edited image as though it were an official DCI disclosure.

Verdict

The image claiming to unmask the hooded gunmen of Ol-Kalau is DOCTORED.