Governor Waiguru threatens to sue MP Mohammed Ali for defamation

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru. [Standard]

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has threatened to institute legal proceedings against Nyali Member of Parliament Mohammed Ali alias Moha Jicho Pevu for defamation.

In a letter dated June 19, 2018 addressed to the Mohammed Ali, Waiguru expressed her indignation with a post on the MP's official Facebook and Twitter Pages, linking Waiguru to the recently reported loss of Ksh9 billion at the National Youth Service.

Waiguru, through her lawyer Mohammed Muigai, termed Ali’s words as defamatory and meant to cause her to be ridiculed and treated with contempt and disdain.

“In their natural and ordinary meaning, or by necessary implications, the words published were meant and were indeed understood to mean that our client is a common thief, an embezzler of public funds, corrupt, a flagrant law-breaker, involved in corruption scandals and unfit to hold public office,” read the letter by Waiguru’s lawyer in part.

The protest is in response to a post on MP Ali’s social media pages naming the Kirinyaga Governor in a list of 10 people he says should be investigated over the loss of Ksh9 billion in the second NYS corruption scandal.

“Evidence has been brought to my attention that now points to the alleged involvement of other senior government officials, banks and business people whose names have been studiously avoided both by investigators and the media. These people and institutions, it would seem from the evidence I have been given, were involved in NYS1, and may very well be involved in this second series of thefts from the National Youth Service,” posted the MP.

“These ten individuals, the evidence suggests, may have been involved in both NYS Sagas.”

In her defence, Waiguru stated that the MP’s statement lacked basis as he did not make any attempt to establish its factuality.

“In light of the above, our instructions are therefore to demand from you as we hereby do; a written, unconditional and unreserved apology, an immediate admission of liability further to which we shall address the question of damages, your express undertaking not to utter any word defamatory of our client.

“Take notice that unless we hear from you on the above within (seven) days hereof, we have mandatory instructions to institute legal proceedings against you at your own peril as to costs and attendant consequences.”