By Naomi Wanjiku
Kenyan comedian Daniel Ndambuki, also known as Churchill or Mwalimu King’ang’i is claimed on this Facebook post.
The post claims that Churchill died in a road accident on Mombasa Road on Thursday, 12 August 2021. The Facebook user then attaches two images — one of Churchill and the other of a crushed vehicle in the middle of the road.
Verification
A Google reverse image search of the car wreckage, however, traces its origin to a website called ‘Udaku Moto’, which published the story of Churchill’s death. The website article details how Churchill’s alleged fatal accident occurred.
“An eye witness near the scene reveals that the comedian was overseeing when he suddenly lost control and rammed his car into a cargo lorry that was heading in an opposite direction,” the article claims.
The website claims the comedian was under the influence of alcohol when the accident occurred. The author of the article claims that police officers at the accident scene found Churchill unconscious and immediately rushed him to Nairobi West Hospital for urgent medical attention.
The article author also claims to have spoken to Dr Nathan Kimani, who is allegedly the head of surgery at Nairobi West Hospital. However, a search of that name on the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) website shows no such licensed medical doctor in Kenya.
One of the key functions of the KMPDC is to “register eligible medical and dental practitioners”. Additionally, the institution keeps a record of all medical and dental practitioners in Kenya.
A review of the Udaku Moto website reveals other unfounded claims of the deaths of Kenyan celebrities such as musician Nyota Ndogo, artiste Bahati and self-proclaimed prophet David Owour.
On whether Churchill is dead, the comedian shared a video of himself dancing on his verified Facebook page on Sunday, 15 August 2021, days after the claim was shared on Facebook.
No credible news website has published news of Churchill’s death. This is not the first time Churchill has been ‘killed’ by social media users or a blog. In 2017, reports about his alleged death were widely shared on various social media platforms.
The comedian said he was having lunch when he saw news of his death on social media. At first, he laughed it off, but as soon as he started receiving phone calls from friends and family, he realised how widely the news had travelled.
“I had to switch off my phone because I was getting so many phone calls and I was tired of saying, ‘Niko hai bado (I am still alive). I am not receiving your call from heaven’,” said Churchill.
Verdict
PesaCheck has looked into a Facebook post claiming that Kenyan comedian Daniel Ndambuki also known as Churchill or Mwalimu King’ang’i, is dead and finds it to be FALSE.
This story was produced by Africa Uncensored in partnership with Code for Africa with support from Deutsche Welle Akademie.
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