Is This Front Page of The Star Newspaper Legitimate?

By Tracy Bonareri

A tweet shared the image above, supposedly from The Star newspaper’s front page on May 19, 2022, accusing Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua of murdering former Nyeri Governor Dr. Wahome Gakuru.

Background

Spreading fake news on social media is a common occurrence during the campaign season and this season is no different.

The user highlighted above is not the only one with the image on their timeline. Others went further to ‘reconstruct the crime scene’ with the supposed front page as the lead. None of the details being shared is from a credible source.

Verification

The image in the claim appears similar to that of a typical The Star newspaper publication. However, research by Piga Firimbi reveals that the images were doctored.

The Star Kenya, in a tweet on their official account, dismissed the front page as fake.

A visit to The Star’s website also reveals “Karua pick lifts Raila past Ruto in top job race” as the legitimate headline on the paper’s May 19, 2022 front page.

Verdict

Images purporting to show The Star newspaper’s May 19, 2022 front page are FAKE.