A fake image misleadingly suggests that Western Kenya is unwelcoming toward President William Ruto.
IN SHORT:
In the 2022 election, Kenyan President William Ruto garnered a substantial number of votes from western Kenya. However, an image purportedly citing his political supporter Boni Khalwale as stating that the area has become unwelcoming toward Ruto is false.
Western Kenya exhibits strong hostility toward President William Ruto due to his political associates insulting regional leaders. This sentiment reflects deep dissatisfaction with how he has allowed such behavior to occur.
according
to a
graphic
seemingly
quoting
Kakamega
county
senator
Boni Khalwale
The county is located in Western Kenya.
The Western region is highly antagonistic towards Ruto; bringing Ichungwa here to disrespect a greatly esteemed figure such as Natembeya would not be tolerated. Aligning yourself with Raila won’t absolve your actions, Mulembe residents understand that ODM aims to remove Sifuna from power,
reads
.
The
graphic
has an
image
of Khalwale and the
logo
of
Nation Africa
, suggesting that the information was disseminated by the news organization.
Mulembe” is a term from the Luhya language that signifies peace. This group is casually known as the “Mulembe people.
The context
The
quote
seems to indicate someone who is upset
outburst
by prominent member of the leading political party
Kimani Ichung’wa
directed at
Trans Nzoia county
governor
George Natembeya
During the funeral of Kenya’s National Assembly Speaker’s mother
Moses Wetang’ula
In Bungoma County, located in western Kenya, during January 2025.
Ichung’wa serves as a Member of Parliament representing the Kikuyu constituency located in Kiambu County, which borders Nairobi. He belongs to the Kikuyu ethnic group.
Natembeya had urged President Ruto to tackle the widespread abduction of young government critics, which provoked Ichung’wa’s ire. Ichung’wa denounced Natembeya as a hypocrite, noting that his term as a regional commissioner during the former administration was characterized by similar issues.
reports
Of kidnappings and arbitrary executions.
The most recent kidnappings, thought to have been conducted by government officials, received widespread attention.
reported
Between June 2024 and January 2025, Kenyan law enforcement officials refuted their participation in the kidnappings.
After the Kikuyu, the Luhya constitute the second-largest ethnic group in the nation, primarily residing in western Kenya.
Leaders from the region,
including Natembeya
, have been advocating for unity within the community to enhance effective competition at the national level.
Raila Odinga leads Kenya’s principal opposition party, the
Orange Democratic Movement
(ODM) Since the outset, Ruto and Odinga’s political relationship has been improving steadily.
inclusion
Of those from the former group who were part of the administration as of July 2024, on March 7, 2025, both heads met.
signed
a
memorandum of understanding
that seemed to cement their political alliance.
Nairobi county
Senator Edwin Sifuna, who belongs to the Luhya community, serves as the secretary general of ODM.
The
graphic
has been posted
here
and
here
.
However, is it legitimate? We verified.
Fake graphic
The text in the image has misplaced or absent punctuation marks. This kind of error would not typically appear in content from a reputable media source, making it the initial indication that the information might be false.
We contrasted the circulating image with another.
genuine one
Posted by the news website and highlighted notable discrepancies. The particular image in question has poor design, employs a distinct font compared to the news site’s graphic style, and lacks a date—unlike authentic versions. These elements serve as warning signs.
Africa Check found no evidence of reputable Kenyan media outlets reporting their content.
Usually, Nation Africa shares its visuals through its verified social media profiles, which include
Facebook
and
X
However, Africa Check was unable to locate the shared graphic on any of the mentioned accounts.
On March 1st, Nation Africa
posted
A fuzzy rendition of the dubious image, overlaid with the term “fake.”
“FAKE NEWS ALERT! Please be advised that this card doing rounds on social media is fake,” it
warned
.
The graphic is fake. It is not from Nation Africa, and there is no evidence that Khalwale made the remarks.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
).