Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has threatened to take legal action against Mediamax Network Limited over a story linking her to graft published on People Daily newspaper on Thursday, September 10.
In a demand letter to the media house, through Wanyonyi & Muhia Advocates, the governor wants the paper to issue an apology within seven days and admit liability for what she termed as a defamatory piece.
“Take notice therefore that if we do not receive your unequivocal apology published in front page of the People Daily with the same prominence and font size print and picture of our client as appears in today’s newspaper, admission of liability and compensation within seven (7) days from the date hereof, we have firm instructions to forthwith institute legal proceedings against you at your own risk as to costs and interest and without further reference to you, ” the letter reads.
In the story published with the title “New Sh77m scam rattles Kirinyaga”, the daily revealed that anti-graft investigators are trying to unravel how Waiguru government paid money to ghost contractor for project that was financed by the previous administration.
The publication revealed that the company in question is Lewis Supplies which was contracted for the Mwea/Makima water project.
But in the demand letter to the Mediamax management that owns the paper, Waiguru stated that the report is “utterly false, malicious and defamatory and amounts to character assassination”.
Waiguru said the story is completely baseless as at no time was the company in question listed as having won any tender number CGK/MOW/038/2017-2018-MWEA/MAKIMA water project as reported.
She also dismissed claims that Sh77 million was paid to the company for the said project.
“Our client avers that statement is malicious, unwarranted and intended to besmirch her otherwise good name and standing in society and your actions have caused serious damage to her reputation as a good and trusted Kenya citizen and politician yet there A no evidence whatsoever or proof of your allegations against our client, ” the letter adds.
The governor has over the recent past been linked to graft in Kirinyaga county leading to serious wrangles with ward representatives who even attempted to impeach her in June this year.
On August 20, EACC detectives raided the governor’s offices and home
EACC, in a statement, said it was conducting investigations into allegations that the Governor and other officials of the County Government of Kirinyaga, were irregularly paid travel allowances amounting to Sh23 million.
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