Alex Mwakideu Cites Burale’s Own Book in Court as Defamation Case Heats Up
The simmering fallout between media personality Alex Mwakideu and pastor-motivational speaker Robert Burale has now spilled into court, setting up one of Kenya’s most high-profile entertainment-law showdowns of the year.
Burale has sued Mwakideu and his former wife, Rozina Mwakideu, for Sh 20 million, alleging that a YouTube interview the radio host published earlier this month defamed him and damaged his personal and professional reputation.
The lawsuit, filed at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, stems from a 4 October 2025 episode uploaded on Mwakideu’s YouTube channel, titled ‘My Biggest Mistake Was Marrying Robert Burale.’
In the video, Rozina spoke candidly about her short marriage to Burale, alleging emotional neglect, manipulation and deception — comments that quickly went viral and sparked a storm across social media.
Through his lawyers, Burale says the interview painted him as ‘a dishonest, immoral and hypocritical man’ claims he insists are false and malicious. He argues that the video was intentionally produced to attract online views at his expense.
In his statement of claim, Burale asserts that the video “severely injured his reputation as a respected preacher, public speaker and image consultant,” leading to ridicule and embarrassment among congregants, clients and peers.
He is seeking KSh 20 million in damages, a permanent injunction restraining Mwakideu from further sharing the interview, and an order compelling the video’s deletion from all platforms.
He also wants the YouTube host and his team to issue a public apology, prominently displayed on all digital channels.
Burale’s legal team says he was never contacted for comment or right of reply before the video went live — an omission they describe as ”reckless and defamatory journalism masquerading as entertainment content.”
In a swift response, Alex Mwakideu filed his own affidavit denying defamation and insisting that the interview was conducted fairly, truthfully and in the public interest.
The Milele FM breakfast host says Rozina’s statements were her personal experiences, and that as the interviewer, he cannot be held liable for opinions expressed by a guest — especially in a platform meant to foster open conversation.
What has caught public attention, however, is one of Mwakideu’s legal arguments. He cites Burale’s own book, From the Strip Club to the Pulpit, in which the pastor admits to a troubled past involving addiction, womanizing and financial struggle.
Mwakideu’s defence suggests that by publicly sharing his past, Burale made aspects of his private life a matter of public record — and therefore cannot now claim reputational damage for related references made by others.
“The claimant has previously published accounts of his life and moral failings,” Mwakideu’s response reportedly reads. “The interview merely revisited themes he himself has publicly discussed.”
The interview, which has since been taken down, had already garnered hundreds of thousands of views within days of its release. Clips circulated widely on TikTok and Instagram, fueling gossip and polarized debate over who was telling the truth.