Business tycoon Jimi Wanjigi has broken his silence about claims on social media that he will deliver a jet to Eliud Kipchoge.
Speaking on phone, Mr. Wanjigi lauded the marathoner for making Kenya proud but revealed that the post on Twitter was not from him.
“It is a fake account, it has nothing to do with me but we are proud of Eliud Kipchoge for what he has done for the human race and for Kenya in particular,” he told Citizen Digital on Saturday.
“I actually want to meet the person behind the tweet over a cup of tea because his creativity has shaped conversations of Kenyans online,” he added.
Lawyer Willis Otieno confirmed that the businessman does not communicate on social media accounts meaning that both Twitter pages —@Jimmywanjigi1 and @JimiWanjigi—are parody accounts.
The statement was in response to a controversial tweet that was published after Kipchoge made history in Vienna on Saturday.
It reads: “Congratulations!! You have done us proud #Eliud159. Plans are underway with @GulfstreamAero, the jet will be deliver to #eliudkipchoge before 29th November 2019.”
Congratulations!! You have done us proud #Eliud159 . Plans are underway with @GulfstreamAero , the jet will be deliver to #eliudkipchoge before 29th November 2019.
Hard work pays . #NoHumanIsLimited
— Jimmy Wanjigi™ (@Jimmywanjigi1) October 12, 2019
I just called #eliudkipchoge . So this was the deal .
If he wins the @INEOS159 challenge then I have to buy him a private jet before 28th of November 2019.
All the best Eliud Kipchoge
— Jimmy Wanjigi™ (@Jimmywanjigi1) October 9, 2019
A section of Kenyans online had responded to the tweet lauding Mr. Wanjigi for the gesture while a few questioned the authenticity of the account.
On October 9, the person operating the account also claimed that the business tycoon had called Kipchoge and made the deal This is not the first time that Mr. Wanjigi’s name has been used on social media to spread fake information.
In March this year, a fact checking organization sounded the alarm over a fake Facebook post that linked the businessman to the Arror and Kimwarer dams scandal.
“PesaCheck has looked into the alleged front page story linking Jimmy Wanjigi to the Arror and Kimwarer Dam scandals and finds it to be a HOAX,” the report said.
A year before that, the businessman sued the Nation Media Group over the publication of a fake obituary on February 7, 2018.
The High Court awarded him Ksh. 8million after ruling that the publication violated Wanjigi’s privacy
