By Peter Opiyo

It was March 2, the third anniversary of the infamous raid of The Standard Group.

Little did anyone know that a speech by one of the speakers would elicit fire from the House on the hill.

As diplomats, media owners and politicians joined Standard Group in marking the day, events leading to the attack were revisited. And lawyer Paul Muite, found the opportunity to drive the point home associating the raid to confessions the Group was about to publish, some ‘sacred things about the President.’

Muite, who chaired the Parliamentary Committee that probed the raid in 2006, narrated what the then Internal Security Minister John Michuki allegedly told the committee.

According to Muite, Michuki said, "Don’t call it a raid. It was a Government operation" and "They were about to write about the President and his wives".

This statement rubbed the first family the wrong way, and in a rare action, President Kibaki called a press conference at State House, Nairobi to declare he has one wife.

Emotional conference

At the emotional conference, the President, accompanied by the First Lady Lucy Kibaki, declared he was in "a foul mood" because of the remarks.

What followed was a round of fury from Kibaki’s children who asked Muite to apologise or face a lawsuit. But through his lawyer Gitobu Imanyara, Muite said he stood by his comments, denying ever mentioning the First Family. He said he merely quoted former Internal Security Minister.

In the demand letter sent to Muite through Mohammed Muigai Advocates, the law firm said they were acting on behalf of Judith Wanjiku, James Kibaki, David Kagai and Anthony Githinji. The four accused Muite of making defamatory statements against the First Family.

Muite dismissed the letter arguing the President’s children were adults and not part of the Government. In response to the demand letter, Muite’s lawyer, Imanyara said: "Our client is not aware that any of your clients is part of the Government. It is their father who the people of Kenya elected President albeit in a disputed elections."

Muite’s letter referred to the presidential press conference where the First Lady told a KTN reporter, "I nearly came to attack you, the way I attacked the Nation."

Artur brothers

Muite averred that a report (by a Parliamentary Committee) on the activities of the Artur Brothers and the Standard Group raid was tabled in Parliament. He also sought to know what happened to the equipment carted away during the raid.

Kibaki’s family also turned its fury on the Standard Group with an ultimatum for an apology over footage aired in connection with the 2006 raid.

At the ceremony, Standard Group Deputy Chairman and Strategy Adviser, Paul Melly said the raid was a threat to press freedom.

"This day shall forever remain an indelible reminder of a threat to Press freedom and it is further symptomatic of flagrant abuse of authority by those whose primary responsibility should be the protection of public interest," said Melly.