NAIROBI, Kenya — Kakamega Woman Representative Elsie Muhanda Busihile has moved to court seeking urgent orders to stop bloggers and social media users she accuses of spreading defamatory claims against her online.
In a suit filed at the Milimani Magistrate’s Court, Muhanda alleges that several individuals have published and circulated false and malicious statements portraying her as an alcohol abuser and accusing her of exploiting young men at a facility identified as Amanda Resort in Kakamega.
Through her lawyer, Danstan Omari, the legislator argues that the allegations have been widely shared across platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and X, exposing her to public ridicule and causing significant reputational harm.
According to court filings, Muhanda maintains that the claims are entirely false and have inflicted emotional distress both personally and in her capacity as a public office holder.
She further told the court that the management of Amanda Resort has publicly dismissed the allegations, stating that the room number referenced in the viral posts does not exist, thereby casting doubt on the credibility of the claims.
The Woman Representative argues that the continued circulation of the content online has exacerbated the damage due to the viral nature of social media, necessitating immediate judicial intervention.
She is seeking injunctive orders to restrain the bloggers from further publishing or sharing the alleged defamatory content and to compel them to delete all existing posts.
Additionally, Muhanda is asking the court to order the respondents to issue a public apology and retraction with equal prominence to the original publications.
The lawmaker is also seeking Sh10 million in general damages for libel and slander, stating that the harm to her reputation and political standing cannot be adequately remedied without compensation.
The application has been filed under a certificate of urgency, with Muhanda urging the court to act swiftly to prevent further dissemination of the disputed content as the matter proceeds to a full hearing.
The outcome of the case is expected to contribute to evolving jurisprudence on social media liability and the extent of remedies available to victims of online reputational harm.
