Posts falsely claim old photos show Kenyan senator arrested after challenging Ruto

"Senator John Methu finally arrested and handcuffed. He will be transferred to Kisumu Central police station before taken to court," reads a Facebook post published on April 13, 2026.

Featured is an image showing Methu standing with a group of men, seemingly in a confrontation with a police officer.

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Screenshot of the false Facebook post, taken on April 27, 2026

Similar claims circulated on X the same day alongside a different image showing a lobbed teargas canister from what appears to be the same scene. 

"BREAKING NEWS: Tension high in Nyandarua as Senator John Methu on the run from members of the elite police unit who want to arrest him. Running battles ongoing as the senator is seen running helter skelter without security who have been withdrawn by Kipchumba Murkomen," reads the post.

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Screenshot of the false post on X, taken on April 27, 2026

Both photos were shared with similar claims elsewhere on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.

"I do not fear you"

The claim emerged amid heightened concerns about the safety of government critics following the 2024 anti-finance bill protests, after which rights groups documented arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and intimidation (archived here).

On April 8, 2026, Methu publicly confronted Ruto during the requiem mass of Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho in Nyandarua County (archived here ).

During his address, Methu criticised delays to key infrastructure projects and told the president: "I respect you as the president and Commander in Chief...but I do not fear you."

In a Citizen TV interview four days later, Methu said he had no regrets about the remarks (archived here).

"If I were to be given a microphone another time, I would say the exact words. I feel very proud of myself that I actually was able to defeat fear and speak before the head of state, and tell him the things that really matter to my people," he said.

Although elected on Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket, Methu has emerged as an ally of former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, who now heads the opposition Democratic Change Party (DCP) following his fall out with Ruto and subsequent impeachment in 2024 (archived here and here).

However, the images shared with with claims of Methu's arrest are old.

Old photos

AFP Fact Check conducted a reverse image search and found that one of the images was featured in a report by Kenyan local newspaper The Star on July 27, 2025 (archived here).

“Chaos, running battles as police disperse a group of DCP politicians in Murang’a,” reads the headline. 

According to the report, at least three people were injured during the altercation between police officers and politicians allied to Gachagua, including Methu, ahead of a rally in Kigumo, Murang'a County.

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Screenshot of the The Star news article with the original photo, taken on April 27, 2026

Methu also published the same images alongside others from the incident the same day, describing it as "an attempt on my life and team by the police at Ngonda in Kigumo" (archived here). 

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Screenshot of Methu's Facebook post with the original images, published on July 27, 2025.

On the same day the arrest claims began circulating, Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang'wa dismissed them via X (archived here and here). 

"Sen. Methu is fine. NIS is just testing the waters and Kenyans' patience. Kenya is ready," Thang'wa wrote, suggesting the false claims had been orchestrated by the National Intelligence Service.

Methu’s public and social media activity in the days following the alleged April 13 arrest and transfer to Kisumu Central Police Station further contradicts the claims. He remained active on Facebook, X and TikTok, and appeared in a radio interview on Inooro FM on April 15, as well as at a memorial service on April 17 (archived here and here).

AFP Fact Check found no credible evidence that the politician was arrested. Police and Methu also did not respond to requests for comment.