Posts archived here, here, and here feature newspaper front pages and graphics purportedly by Citizen, The Star, and The Standard. These images were circulated under the hashtags #ComeBabyCome and the phrase “Prophet Owuor 2027.” The headlines on all the front pages allege that Owuor declared he would win the presidency in 2027, taking over as the Luo kingpin after Raila.
Graphics shared here and here promote the same message, further alleging that Prophet Owuor is the sponsor behind the protests against the Finance Bill 2024 and that he is Gen Z’s preferred candidate for the 2027 elections.
Background
On June 20, 2024, Kenyans took to the streets again to protest against the Finance Bill 2024. Unlike the June 18, 2024 protests that were primarily held in Nairobi, this time, people from various parts of the country, including Kisumu, Lodwar, Kakamega, Kisii, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Meru, Nanyuki, Mombasa, and Kilifi, joined in to oppose the punitive taxes in the bill. Protesters called on Members of Parliament to reject the bill entirely, vowing not to reelect any MP who votes in favor of it across various social media platforms.
This coordinated campaign, which started on June 21, 2024, under the hashtag #ComeBabyCome, included posts attempting to paint Prophet Owuor as the sponsor of the protests. This followed claims by politicians supporting the bill that the protests were not organic and that someone was funding the youth in the streets. The accounts involved in this campaign were also part of other coordinated efforts on X, highlighted by Piga Firimbi here and here.
Verification
Although the front pages match legitimate copies’ graphics, font, and layout, they have been manipulated. The headlines on the issues, as found on the newspapers’ websites, tell a different story. The Standard’s headline for the June 20, 2024 issue reads ‘UDA death: Ruto crafts giant party,’ while The Star’s headline reads ‘Ruto headache as anti-tax protests spread nationwide.’
Screengrabs of the legitimate front pages of The Star and The Standard
The graphic attributed to Citizen TV does not appear on their official handle on X, where they share all their graphics.
The graphics in the posts highlighted here and here are AI-generated. This is evident from the spelling mistakes on the t-shirts and the deformed facial features. These graphics were not part of the legitimate social media campaign under the hashtag #RejectFinanceBill2024.
The youth involved in the protests, both online and on the streets, have dismissed claims of funding from those opposed to President Ruto, asserting that the movement is organic and driven by years of overtaxation and plunder.
Verdict
The front pages and graphics attributed to The Standard, Citizen TV and The Star are FAKE.
Add comment