The court has issued interim injunctive orders restraining Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa from making, publishing or disseminating any allegedly defamatory statements against Kakamega Woman Representative Elsie Muhanda, pending the hearing and determination of a defamation application before it.
In a ruling delivered by Senior Principal Magistrate Anne Nyoike, the court certified the application dated April 10, 2026, as urgent and granted temporary orders barring the respondent, whether personally or through agents, servants, employees, or associates, from further publication or republication of statements concerning the applicant.
The matter was subsequently fixed for inter partes mention on May 7, 2026, for further directions. According to pleadings filed by the applicant through counsel Danstan Omari, Muhanda has instituted defamation proceedings against Governor Barasa, his spouse Professor Janet Kassily Barasa, and several co-respondents, including bloggers, alleging a coordinated and malicious publication of false statements intended to injure her reputation and political standing.
The applicant contends that the respondents published and widely circulated allegations portraying her as an alcohol abuser and imputing immoral conduct involving alleged relationships with younger men.
She avers that the said publications are false, scandalous, and defamatory, and have subjected her to public ridicule and reputational harm. Further, the applicant alleges that the respondents falsely linked her to a death incident involving a polytechnic principal, thereby imputing criminal conduct against her.
She maintains that the publications were made maliciously and with full knowledge of their falsity, with the intention of damaging her character. The suit also names eight bloggers accused of amplifying the alleged defamatory content across digital platforms, thereby increasing its reach and impact.
The applicant asserts that the continued circulation of the statements poses a real risk of ongoing harm unless restrained by the court.Consequently, Muhanda seeks general, aggravated, and exemplary damages, including KSh10 million against each of the bloggers, as well as an order for an unconditional apology and retraction.
She has further prayed for permanent injunctive relief to restrain the respondents from any further publication of the impugned statements. The court, having considered the application and supporting affidavit, granted interim relief, emphasizing the need to preserve the status quo pending the inter partes hearing of the application.
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