Wetangula gives the standard 48 hours: Broad-Based family' story

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has issued a 48-hour demand to the Standard Group over their article titled "Broad-Based Family." 

Wetangula dismissed the story as false and defamatory, and through his lawyers, he has demanded a full front-page retraction, the online article's removal, and compensation negotiations to avoid a lawsuit.

The dispute traces back to a July 6 front page story titled Broad Based Family by the Standard, which carried Wetangula's photo alongside other senior public officials. 

‘’He goes by the political moniker papa wa Roma and indeed he is probably living up to that billing and is that father,brother, cousin or uncle who does not promise you he will see what to do when you request him to assist you with a job search; he acts,’’ a section of the standard online publication read.

‘’Their family is the definition of a powerful family. They are the who is who in the country’s leadership, enjoying plum positions and are integral in the country’s corridors of power, as their deep family ties permeate public service and the country’s political scene. From Cabinet Secretaries, Former Cabinet Secretaries to Principal secretaries, sitting and former Members of Parliament and presidential advisors, the family is among the spines of governance in the country,’’ the Standard online publication read. 

Acting via his legal team, Wetangula asserted that the story falsely associated him with favoritism and nepotism in the context of state appointments

In a demand letter dated July 7, Wetangula's lawyers, Milimo Muthomi and Company Advocates, accused the newspaper of falsely suggesting that several senior public officials secured their positions through family ties with the Speaker.

The legal team maintained that Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi is the Speaker's only relative mentioned in the publication, adding that he was elected independently and belongs to a different political party.

According to the lawyers, none of the other officials named are related to Wetangula or owe their appointments to him. They also insisted the Speaker has not employed any relatives in his office.

“Your said top page publication as read together with the detailed narrative appearing at Page 4 thereof, leaves no doubt as to what your publication was intended to achieve, and which was achieved, in summary, and among others, that our Client is a relative to all the persons named therein and through which association he has invoked to cause the holding and or placement of those persons in the public offices they hold,” stated the letter in part. 

The demand letter seeks an unconditional front-page apology, an equally prominent retraction, removal of the online publication, and an admission of liability. The lawyers warned they would institute legal proceedings if The Standard fails to comply within 48 hours.

“Our instructions are to demand, which we hereby dutifully do, that you tender an unconditional written apology to our Client at the top page of the next issue of Standard Newspaper, and in any event not later than forty eight(48) hours from the date hereof,” stated the letter. 

The speaker’s legal team accuses The Standard of failing to verify facts before publishing, describing the story as a breach of  the standards of responsible journalism.

“Through this offending publication therefore, you have caused and portrayed our Client, in the mind of right-thinking persons, as, among others, an individual who utilizes his public office and or power to reward relatives with high public offices, commonly referred to as nepotism, among other vices.” the letter read.

They argue the publication has exposed the Speaker to public ridicule, both within Kenya and among audiences beyond the country's borders.

During a public event, Wetangula reinforced his dismissal of the publication using a Winston Churchill quote: "You will never finish your journey if you stop to throw stones at barking dogs," urging leaders to ignore negative commentary