By Emmanuel Oduor
On February 20, 2022, this tweet posted on an account named Sir Jim Kitch showed a Jubilee billboard where President Uhuru Kenyatta supposedly apologizes to Kenyans. The tweet had attracted 144 retweets, 406 likes, and over 30 replies at the time this article goes to publish.
Background
The availability of many online tools and an apparent high computer literacy level have opened an avenue for distortion of not only facts but also images as is the case in a recently published fact-check here, where Piga Firimbi found another Jubilee billboard which was doctored to read; “10 Years of Disappointments”.
Verification
The photo in the tweet is a billboard of President Uhuru Kenyatta purportedly apologizing to Kenyans; “I am Sorry…I Have Failed.” This is not the message on the original billboard which reads, “Tuliahidi. Tumetimiza”.
The original image was first posted in a tweet on February 19, 2022, via a handle named Pauline Njoroge, HSC and below is the original tweet.
Pauline Njoroge describes herself as a Digital Media Strategist on her Twitter bio, and lists on her Facebook profile as Former Communication Manager at The National Alliance (TNA) Party. TNA previously merged with the United Republican Party (URP) to form the Jubilee coalition party. Owing to this, Pauline is a known supporter of the Jubilee government and President Kenyatta as can be seen on her social media pages here and here.
Verdict
The image showing a billboard of President Kenyatta apologizing is DOCTORED.
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