I am not dead, media personality Johnson Mwakazi has said in response to rumours he has passed on.
The misleading news of his “alleged death” hit social media on Sunday evening and a sizeable number of its users fell for the prank.
Mwakazi, a former news anchor at Citizen TV, on Sunday via his twitter handle said he is still alive.
“All is well! I give thanks to God! Kindly, note that rumours that I am dead are not true. I am alive,” read Mwakazi’s tweet.
Mwakazi joins a list of other media personalities who have in the past been “killed” on social media.
Last year, veteran broadcaster Leonard Mbotela was alleged to be dead while he was actually alive. The fake news of his death shook many until he came out to refute the claims.
He said he received many calls from concerned people.
Other notable personalities who have been “killed” by fake news include Starehe MP Charles Kanyi alias Jaguar and retired President Daniel Moi.
This comes in the wake of a punitive law, the Compute and Cybercrime Bill which was passed by Parliament a month ago.
It awaits President Uhuru Kenyatta’s assent. Publishers of fake or misleading information are liable to a fine of upto 5 million or a jail term of two years or both upon conviction.