By Mercy Achieng
A press release, shared on X by user Mr. Kinuthia Pius, purportedly issued by the Office of the 4th President of Kenya and signed by spokesperson Kanze Dena Mararo, claims that former President Uhuru Kenyatta has repeatedly declined requests from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to meet.
Background
Rigathi Gachagua served as Uhuru Kenyatta’s personal assistant from 2001 to 2006, playing a critical role in structuring his political operations. However, their partnership disintegrated leading up to the 2022 General Election when Gachagua broke ranks with the Jubilee administration to join forces with President William Ruto then Deputy President under President Uhuru Kenyatta and now President of Kenya. .
During the campaign and his subsequent tenure as Deputy President, Gachagua emerged as one of Uhuru’s fiercest public critics, placing full blame on the former president for the country’s economic woes. The balance shifted following Gachagua’s political fallout within the government, prompting him to pivot toward regional unity across the Mt. Kenya region.
The press release was shared following the “Wamunyoro Conclave,” a series of high-level consultative strategy meetings hosted by Rigathi Gachagua at his rural residence in Wamunyoro, Nyeri County, Kenya.
During these regional consultations, political allies and Mt. Kenya leaders discussed unity and opposition coalition strategy ahead of the 2027 General Election. Public discourse surrounding the conclave included suggestions that Gachagua would conclude his internal consultations and seek a formal dialogue or political reconciliation with Uhuru Kenyatta.
The press release alleges that Uhuru’s office had preemptively shut down any possibility of such a meeting.
Verification
Piga Firimbi established that the Office of the 4th President, through spokesperson Kanze Dena Mararo, flagged and dismissed the statement as “FAKE NEWS” across their official channel X
A check on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of former President Uhuru Kenyatta confirms that no such press release was posted or issued by his media team.
A comparison with past official communications issued by the 4th President’s office shows distinct structural differences in letterhead alignment, font selection, and margins. Official releases maintain uniform branding, whereas this letter uses a non-standard header layout.
The press release contains spelling error at the bottom signature block identifying Kanze Dena as the “Sppokesperson” (spelled with a double “p”). Official communications from the former Head of State undergo editorial review and do not feature basic spelling mistakes.
Verdict
The press release claiming Uhuru Kenyatta’s Office issued a Statement Rejecting a Meeting with Rigathi Gachagua is FAKE.
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