Staff Reporter
Controversial opposition activist Job ‘Wiwa’ Sikhala is facing a storm of criticism from netizens after he was accused of fabricating a claim that his friend had put up a portrait of him in his office.
The claim unravelled when online users spotted that the image bore the faint inscription “META AI,” indicating that it was not a real portrait but an artificially generated image.
Sikhala, a former Member of Parliament and a well-known opposition figure, took to X (formerly Twitter) last Saturday to share what he described as an “honour.”
He posted the image of a framed portrait bearing his name, captioning it: “Went into my friend's office yesterday and saw this beautiful art. Thank you bhururu!”
However, social media users quickly scrutinised the image and pointed out a crucial detail—faintly inscribed on the portrait was “META AI,” suggesting that it had been digitally created rather than physically printed and framed.
This revelation sparked widespread backlash, with many accusing Sikhala of deception and questioning his credibility as a leader.
Netizens flooded the comment section, mocking Sikhala for allegedly attempting to mislead the public.
Among the loudest critics was X user Tendai ‘Truth’ Moyo, who wrote: “How can someone who wants to be a leader stoop so low as to lie about a portrait? If he can fabricate something so small, what more serious matters? This is embarrassing.”
Another user, Pamela Chisango, expressed her disbelief, stating, “At first, I wanted to congratulate him until I looked closely. This is pure fraud. If he can’t be honest about a mere picture, how can people trust him in politics?”
A third critic, Edwin Matanga, went even further, calling for Sikhala to apologise for what he termed “a shameful act of deceit.”
This man is a joke. AI-generated images are easy to detect, yet he thought he could fool people? A true leader owns up to mistakes. He should issue a statement admitting this lie,” said Matanga.
The debacle has left Sikhala’s supporters scrambling for explanations, with some arguing that he may not have been aware the image was AI-generated.
Others, however, have distanced themselves from the controversy, warning that such incidents only serve to undermine the credibility of opposition figures in a politically charged environment.
Sikhala is yet to respond to the backlash. However, his silence has only fuelled further speculation and criticism, with many demanding accountability.
