The media oversight agency has disowned the statement.
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This press release on Facebook, supposedly from the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), is FAKE.
The MCK is an independent national institution mandated to set and ensure compliance with media standards.
The 15 August 2023-dated statement is titled, “Derogatory comments made by the Governor of Kericho County.”
According to the document, the MCK demanded a written apology from the county leader for supposedly harassing journalists who sought answers on allegations that the Londiani accident victims’ fund was misappropriated.
“Bringing goons to stop journalists from asking questions is the most outdated way of attempting to coerce the press to submission. We demand a written apology to our affected members within seven (7) days,” the statement reads in part.
But is the statement authentic?
Although the press release has MCK branding, it is not shared on the agency’s Facebook page, Twitter account, or website, where it makes such communications.
The media oversight agency disowned the document via a Facebook post, terming it fake.
Fifty two people died after a truck crashed at the Londiani Junction in Kericho County on 30 June 2023. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua conducted a funds drive on July 4 in which KSh13.6 million was raised for the accident victims. The money is said to have been misappropriated.
PesaCheck examined a press release on Facebook, supposedly from the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) demanding an apology from Kericho County governor for supposedly harassing journalists, and found it to be FAKE.
This post is part of an ongoing series of PesaCheck fact-checks examining content marked as potential misinformation on Facebook and other social media platforms.
By partnering with Facebook and similar social media platforms, third-party fact-checking organisations like PesaCheck are helping to sort fact from fiction. We do this by giving the public deeper insight and context to posts they see in their social media feeds.
Have you spotted what you think is fake or false information on Facebook? Here’s how you can report. And, here’s more information on PesaCheck’s methodology for fact-checking questionable content.
This fact-check was written by PesaCheck fact-checker Rodgers Omondi and edited by PesaCheck senior copy editor Cédrick Irakoze and acting chief copy editor Francis Mwaniki.
The article was approved for publication by PesaCheck managing editor Doreen Wainainah.
