Fake signature or fake document? Questions over different CS Duale signatures in official statements

However, it was the signatures appended to the statements that quickly caught the attention of Kenyans online.

Many users pointed out glaring differences between the signatures attributed to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, particularly on the statement addressing blood export claims.

The second statement appeared to bear a digitally inserted signature that looked noticeably different from the one used in the Senate submission, raising questions over the authenticity of the document.

A spot check by Citizen Digital on previous documents indicated that the statement on donated blood did not appear to carry Duale’s original signature, further fueling public scepticism.

The discrepancy sparked debate online, with some Kenyans questioning whether the document had been fabricated and whether official government communication could still be trusted.

“First of all, that’s not Duale’s signature. Google thousands of documents signed by Duale. Second, if the document is fabricated, can we trust its content?” posed one user, Rufas Kamau.

Another user wrote: “Can you just post the official signature used by Duale? It varies too much from letter to letter.”

Others questioned why government agencies increasingly appear to issue clarification statements only after public controversy erupts, arguing that the repeated need for damage control has weakened public confidence in official communication.

In the statement, Duale referenced a report published by World Integrated Trade Solutions, which listed Kenya under exports of “human and animal blood” and related products.

The Health CS explained that the classification refers broadly to vaccines, toxins, antisera, laboratory products and other blood-derived pharmaceutical products, and does not mean that Kenya exports donated blood collected for transfusion services.

“This classification is a broad customs category covering a wide range of pharmaceutical, laboratory, diagnostic, research and biological products,” the statement read in part.

“The Ministry of Health does not export any donated blood or blood components for purposes of manufacturing blood-derived products in a foreign country.”