ABSTRACT
Rumour is generally viewed as suspect evidence because, it is supposedly, communication constructed on unverified information. However, rumour, has seemingly transcended this generalized negative connotation and has acquired some air of importance with news value placed on it.
This paper attempts an examination of rumour as a political manipulation tool, its social relevance and potency as well as its effect on the bureaucratic flow of policy decisions. The paper argues that rumour as an agent of political power dynamics possesses powerful effects; concluding that, there is the need for new research that moves beyond the old media treatment of rumour and its associated negative connotations.
