NAIROBI, Kenya – The High Court has ordered Nation Media Group (NMG) to pay Nyamira Senator Erick Okong’o Mogeni and his wife, Dr. Christine Atieno Ombaka, a total of Sh6.5 million in damages for defamation over an article that linked them to alleged misconduct.
The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, found that Nation Media had published false and damaging claims that tarnished the couple’s reputation.
Justice Asenath Ongeri said the publication failed to meet the threshold of fair reporting and disregarded the principles of responsible journalism.
The court awarded Senator Mogeni Sh3.5 million and his wife Sh3 million, citing the “serious reputational harm” the article caused to their professional and personal lives.
Dr. Ombaka, a respected academic and medical professional, argued that the defamatory report had subjected her to public ridicule and undermined her standing in the community.
“The media enjoys freedom of expression, but that freedom is not absolute. It must be exercised with responsibility and with due regard for the rights of others,” Justice Ongeri stated, underscoring the balance between press freedom and individual rights.
The ruling is the latest in a series of defamation suits that have tested the boundaries of media freedom in Kenya.
Lawyers representing the couple welcomed the judgment, describing it as a reminder that the press must adhere to accuracy and fairness.
NMG, one of the country’s largest media houses, has not stated whether it intends to appeal the decision.
The case has stirred debate on journalistic ethics and accountability in Kenya, where the media is both a powerful watchdog and a frequent target of litigation.
Advocates for press freedom warn that while damages may deter reckless reporting, hefty penalties could also have a chilling effect on investigative journalism.
For Senator Mogeni and his wife, however, the ruling marks vindication after years of litigation.
“This judgment restores our dignity and sets the record straight,” the senator told reporters outside court.
