Social media can be a powerful platform enabling millions of people worldwide keep in touch, share their experiences through messages and photographs within minutes.
But herein lies the danger as wrong information can be equally shared fast with disastrous consequences as Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto and his Kericho counterpart Paul Chepkwony found out recently.
Shortly after President Uhuru Kenyatta's fundraiser in Bomet County on Sunday, there was photograph doing rounds on Facebook showing Governor Ruto and Chepkwony seated while everyone else standing when President Uhuru rose to address the crowd.
From the video recording of he event, the two leaders actually stood up when the President rose to speak as dictated by protocol, including the Deputy President William Ruto.
But a video posted by State House Director of Digital Communication Dennis Itumbi seems to show the two governors seated, but that was when the President was announcing the total money raised and not when he was starting his speech.
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The picture drew the ire of Kenyans on social media and radio stations with many accusing the two leaders of disrespecting the presidency.
But it had now emerged that the picture was photoshopped to depict the two leaders negatively.
Yesterday, Chepkwony distanced himself from the said photo, saying he was deeply saddened and surprised with the shocking photo.
"I wish to state that this photo is a creation of some ill-minded individuals whose technological tricks of photoshop are meant to strain my cordial relationship with the President.
"While I appreciate the freedom of expression, I wish to condemn such an act of misinformation and mudslinging, whose ultimate goal is to wage non-existing political enmity amongst a section of leaders," Chepkwony said in his post.
Chepkwony said in the function, he was seated behind Governor Ruto and not beside the DP as is seen in the picture.
The photo in question shows the two governors seated together, but according to Chepkwony, Governor Ruto was seated on the same line with Sotik MP and National Assembly Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso.
"The photo in itself portrays a lot of inconsistencies as it combines a past photo with yesterday's (Sunday). The purported photo for instance, falsely showed that I was seated beside Governor Ruto, yet the truth is that I was seated behind him in the second row," he said.
A closer look at the photo, which was circulated on social media, also shows that the portrait hanging behind where the dignitaries were seated does not look like that of the President as compared to the one Governor Chepkwony shared.
Chepkwony said the photo circulated on social media further went on to wrongly show that Bomet East MP Bernard Bett was in the first row standing next to the Deputy President.
Actually, the Africa Gospel Church Bishop the Rev Robert Langat was seated to the Deputy President's right and next to the bishop was Kericho Senator Charles Keter.
"For those convinced to believe such bare lies, I wish to take you back to my address during that church service where I commended the President and his government for implementing various projects in the region and more specifically in Kericho County.
"How then would I have turned around and disrespected the Head of State just by remaining seated while giving his address? My conscience is clear and no such propaganda will destabilise my mutual relationship with the President and the Deputy President," Chepkwony said.
