A social media post on July 23, 2026, claimed that President William Ruto of Kenya had made significant changes to his cabinet. The graphic, purportedly from "The Star Digital," listed several cabinet secretaries being removed and replaced. The changes included Rebecca Miano being replaced by Winnie Odinga as Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary, among other changes. This post emerged shortly after the Ol-Kalou parliamentary by-election, which saw a significant victory for the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
The Ol-Kalou by-election, held on July 16, 2026, was a significant political event in Kenya. Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru of the DCP won with 35,440 votes, representing about 85.8% of the valid vote. In contrast, Samuel Muchina Nyagah of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), President Ruto's governing party, received about 5,450 votes. The substantial margin of victory sparked speculation about changing political sentiments in the Mt. Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The viral graphic suggested that President Ruto's alleged cabinet reshuffle was a response to the Ol-Kalou by-election results. The proposed appointments included prominent figures from opposition parties, such as Winnie Odinga and Junet Mohamed of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). The inclusion of Cleophas Malala, a senior figure from the DCP, which won the by-election, further fueled speculation about political realignments. However, these claims required verification through official channels.
An investigation by Piga Firimbi found several inconsistencies in the viral graphic. There was no official presidential announcement regarding the alleged cabinet reshuffle. A search of the official website of the President of Kenya did not yield any information about the appointments listed in the graphic. The official cabinet listing continued to identify the serving cabinet secretaries, including Rebecca Miano, Alice Wahome, and Eric Muriithi Muuga.
The Kenyan parliament also disowned a related document circulating online, which claimed that the National Assembly had asked the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to vet five alleged cabinet nominees. The document named Winnie Odinga, Junet Mohamed, Koki Muli, Cleophas Malala, and Agnes Zani, the same individuals mentioned in the viral graphic. However, the EACC confirmed that it had not received such a request from Parliament, marking the document as fake.
The official presidential cabinet page continued to list the original cabinet members, contradicting the claims made in the viral graphic. This included Rebecca Miano as Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary, Alice Wahome as Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary, and Eric Muriithi Muuga as Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary. The lack of an official announcement and the continued presence of the original cabinet members on the official government website indicated that the graphic's claims were unfounded.
The viral graphic's use of "The Star Digital" branding was intended to create credibility, but a review of The Star's official publications found no report announcing the alleged cabinet reshuffle. The presence of a media logo alone did not establish that the publication created or endorsed the content. As a result, the graphic's claims about President Ruto's cabinet reshuffle have been debunked as fake.
Key points
- There was no official presidential announcement regarding the alleged cabinet reshuffle.
- The official cabinet listing continued to identify the serving cabinet secretaries, contradicting the claims made in the viral graphic.
- The Kenyan parliament and the EACC disowned documents related to the alleged cabinet nominees, marking them as fake.
