Deputy President William Ruto has lately been seen taking to social media to lash out at media houses whenever he feels he is being unfairly targeted or accused.
Recently, he lashed out at the Standard for claiming that President Uhuru Kenyatta avoided him at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), leaving without meeting him.
He has lately dropped his initial habit of ignoring the papers and their stories, substituting it with rants and responses on twitter, occasionally accusing them of spewing fake news.
However, unlike ODM leader Raila Odinga who recently threatened to sue the Daily Natio for claiming that he has declared his 2022 presidential bid, the DP has not been seen taking such actions yet.
This, according to the Director of Communications in his office David Mugonyi, is because the DP respects and media rights, and is aware that errors are normal.
However, he said that further fabrication of falsehood for political purposes will not be entertained.
"The DP believes in the freedom of the media. That includes the right to make mistakes but not to fabricate malicious falsehood to score some political goals," he told the Sunday Nation.
Mugonyi said that the DP has not been keen on arraigning media houses in court, instead opting to make clarifications where he feels truth has been withheld.
According to Mugonyi, the DP finds it better using the interactive social media route.
"That is why he has not exercised his civil right to sue for defamation despite numerous fake news touching on him. He has however chosen the right to set the record straight through the interactive platform provided by social media,” he added.