When people hear “fake news,” they often think it was born on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. It wasn’t. Fake news has been around as long as news itself—only the tools have changed. It’s worn many disguises over the years: propaganda, hoaxes, satire and even “harmless” comedy.
Take the Great Moon Hoax of 1835. A New York newspaper claimed life had been discovered on the Moon—winged creatures, forests, oceans, the works. They even credited the “discovery” to a respected astronomer, Sir John Herschel. It sold papers like hotcakes. Only later did the paper admit it was all made up. Fast forward to today. The difference isn’t existence of fake news—it’s how fast it spreads. Social media can make a rumour go from a whisper to a wildfire in minutes. And Kenya has its own examples.
Recently, there’s been talk about Governor James Orengo’s health. Some claimed he was poisoned at State House. I’m not saying it happened. I’m not saying it didn’t. But if someone makes such a serious allegation, the first question we should ask is—where’s the proof?
For those pushing the story, the “evidence” was simple: Orengo was missing from the public eye. But public figures disappear for many reasons; some medical, some personal, and sometimes just for rest.
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When Orengo eventually showed up, the story didn’t die; it just changed. Now, the focus was on how he looked—thinner, perhaps more frail. But he’s in his mid-seventies. People change with age, and it doesn’t always mean something sinister is going on.
Here’s the danger: once a story like this takes off, it’s almost impossible to erase. Even if it’s false, it sticks. If, God forbid, Orengo’s health declines later, the poisoning rumour will be “proof” for those who want to believe it. And that’s where fake news does its worst damage. It can breed mistrust between communities, make people suspicious of each other believing their leaders have been harmed, and poison our politics far more effectively than any real toxin. Once that seed is planted, it’s hard to pull out.
The only way to shut down a rumour like this completely would be something extreme—like a toxicology test or a statement from Orengo’s family. But that’s not fair. Why should someone have to disprove something they never claimed in the first place?
So, what’s the fix? I believe news outlets should make fact-checking a permanent part of their daily bulletins. Take the hottest rumour of the day, put it under a microscope, and show the public where it came from and whether it holds water. If media houses did this, they’d separate themselves from the sea of unverified noise online.
The truth is, fake news doesn’t survive just because people are gullible. Often, it survives because it confirms what they already believe. It gives them what psychologists call “cognitive consonance.”
But comfort is not the same as truth. And in a world where lies move at lightning speed, we can’t let fake news run free. If we don’t fight it every day, we’ll keep building our future on stories that were never true to begin with.
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By Mike Nyagwoka