NAIROBI, Kenya — A court has issued interim orders restraining Fernandes Barasa from making or publishing alleged defamatory statements against Kakamega Woman Representative Elsie Muhanda Busihile, pending the hearing of a Sh18 million defamation suit.
The orders, issued on Monday by the Milimani Law Courts, also extend to the governor’s agents, employees, political associates, and any individuals acting under his authority.
“…hereby ordered that the application be served for inter partes mention for directions on 7/5/2026…that orders in terms of prayer 2 do issue in the interim,” read part of the court directive.
The ruling follows a petition filed by Muhanda seeking Sh18 million in damages over alleged slander and libel. Through her lawyer, Danstan Omari, the legislator accuses Barasa of making false and malicious statements in public forums, questioning her competence to hold office.
In court filings, Muhanda argues that the remarks have caused significant reputational harm, emotional distress, and damage to her political standing.
She is also seeking orders compelling the governor to retract the statements, issue a public apology with equal prominence, and remove any defamatory content already in circulation.
The dispute is widely seen as politically charged, with Muhanda claiming the alleged remarks are intended to undermine her ahead of the 2027 general election, where she has expressed interest in contesting the Kakamega gubernatorial seat.
The interim orders now legally bar Barasa from making any statements that could be deemed defamatory against the lawmaker until the matter is fully heard and determined.
The escalating feud between the two leaders has spilled into the public arena in recent days. Over the weekend, tensions reportedly turned violent during a funeral service in Ikolomani, where rival factions linked to the leaders clashed, leaving one person seriously injured after a stabbing.
The case is set for mention on May 7, 2026, when the court will give further directions on its hearing and determination, in what is shaping up to be a closely watched political and legal battle in Kakamega County.
