Kenya: No Evidence Kenyan President Ruto and Ex-Deputy Gachagua Met in the US for Talks - Graphic and Article Fabricated

What the report says

Africa Check, distributed by AllAfrica, reported that a graphic and apparent newspaper article circulating on social media falsely claimed Kenyan President William Ruto and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua met in New York for private political talks. The fact-check said it found no evidence the meeting happened and no credible media coverage supporting the claim.

The fabricated material, which carried the logo of a Facebook page called HP News, alleged that unnamed sources and even Kenya’s intelligence services helped arrange a quiet reconciliation between the two politicians. Africa Check said its search found no real newspaper operating under the name shown on the graphic, which strongly suggested the story was manufactured.

The two men were both in the United States at the same time, but for different reasons: Gachagua had traveled there in late August 2026, while Ruto was in New York for the UN General Assembly in September. The report also noted that their relationship deteriorated after the 2022 election and Gachagua’s 2024 impeachment, making claims of a sudden truce particularly significant.

Africa Check concluded that there was no evidence of any political rapprochement in the US. It also pointed to public exchanges between the two in late September and early October 2026 as further reason to doubt the reconciliation narrative. The broader importance of the piece is its warning about how fabricated political stories can spread quickly online, especially when they involve high-profile leaders.