NAIROBI, Kenya – December 22 – Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has won a defamation case against The Standard Media Group, in which he sought to hold the media outlet accountable for publishing a false and malicious story that cast doubts on his moral character.
High Court Judge Dorah Chepkwony ruled in favour of Namwamba, awarding him a total of Sh9 million in damages. The lawsuit centered around an article in The Nairobian, a publication owned by The Standard, which insinuated a close relationship between Namwamba and a family member.
Namwamba filed the case jointly with his brothers John, Thomas, Peter Okochi Adochi, and Pastor John Osimbo. However, the court only granted damages to him, stating that his brothers lacked the necessary legal standing to bring the suit since they were not explicitly mentioned in the contentious publication.
In her judgment, Justice Chepkwony found that the editors of The Nairobian, a weekly newspaper under The Standard Media Group, had acted maliciously in publishing the article. She noted that the article had severely damaged the reputation of the Namwamba family by making unfounded and untrue allegations against its members, causing them mental anguish and public humiliation.
The defamatory article was published in 2018 when Namwamba held the position of Chief Administrative Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Justice Chepkwony observed that the article had not only defamed his character but also had implications for his appointment as Chief Administrative Secretary in the ministry.
Namwamba, who was in New Delhi, India, at the time of the article’s publication, learned about it from one of his aides. The widespread sharing of the article online had put his reputation at risk, especially considering his role as a senior government official in the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
In his lawsuit, Namwamba had sought Sh50 million in general damages, Sh12 million in punitive and exemplary damages, and an additional Sh5 million in aggravated damages. The court awarded him Sh5 million in general damages, Sh3 million in aggravated damages, and Sh1 million in exemplary damages.
The court’s ruling vindicates Namwamba’s assertion that the publication had harmed his reputation and character, acknowledging the unwarranted damage caused by the defamatory article.
