Nairobi — A legal showdown is looming between veteran broadcaster Fred Obachi Machoka and Kileleshwa Member of County Assembly (MCA) Robert Alai after Machoka issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding a public apology over what he calls a “malicious and defamatory” social media post.
Through his lawyer Danstan Omari, Machoka alleges that the MCA made false claims about his health in a Facebook post dated Saturday, May 3. In a demand letter seen by Kisasa News, Machoka maintains that the statement not only misrepresented his health status but also amounted to character assassination, given Alai’s influential public platform.
“These statements are categorically false, unsubstantiated, and were disseminated with clear malice aforethought. They have caused irreparable harm to our client’s reputation in both his personal and professional capacities,” the demand letter states.
The post, which emerged amid a heated online exchange over political views—particularly Machoka’s perceived support for former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i—has since attracted widespread public attention, partly due to Alai’s significant social media following.
Lawyer Omari contends the remarks have fueled stigmatization and undermined national efforts to combat misinformation and discrimination related to health matters. He also notes that third-party responses, including one from an individual identified as Bwana Munyao, further amplified the defamatory effect.
Machoka, a revered voice in Kenya’s broadcasting industry, is demanding a full public retraction and an apology issued with equal visibility to the original post. He also seeks an admission of liability and a cessation of any further defamatory commentary.
“Failure to comply within 48 hours will trigger immediate legal proceedings to pursue all available remedies,” Omari warned.
Efforts to reach MCA Alai for comment were unsuccessful by the time of publication.
This unfolding clash highlights the growing legal risks tied to political discourse and social media commentary by public figures.
