Kenyans on Twitter fell for a fake tweet on the ongoing doctors’ strike alleged to have been posted by Ben Carson, the nominee for US Secretary for Housing and Urban Development.
With a persistent doctors’ strike in Kenya and their union leaders jailed for contempt, a user created a fake post implying that the American surgeon, who has performed life-saving operations in Africa, was chiding the Kenyan government.
“Came across sad news from Kenya. Their judiciary jails doctors. Such a pathetic government,” the supposed tweet read.
A screenshot of the tweet, spread by many users under hashtag [HASHTAG]#AsystemIsComingDown[/HASHTAG], showed it had been written and posted on Monday by Dr Carson’s verified account, @RealBenCarson.
For many Kenyans on Twitter, especially the medics angry at the government for jailing their union leaders, it seemed that one of their own had felt their predicament.
FAKE NEWS PHENOMENON
An examination of the post, however, reveals that it is fake as it does not exist on Dr Carson’s account.
The last message on his Twitter page was posted on New Year’s Day.
In fact, as a nominee for a Cabinet post, the use of the word "pathetic" to describe another government was unlikely from a man who will have to deal with foreign entities, especially governments keen to learn about US housing policies.
But as the tweets started to fizzle, some users started to acknowledge the tweet wasn’t genuine and alerted others that it was not legit.
In the internet age, fake news has become common online and people will go as far as screen-shooting a genuine tweet, editing out the message and date and replacing it with their own controversial dispatch.
Trump aide: Kenyans fall for fake tweet
