Blunder Sees Citizen TV, K24 Pay Kang'ata Ksh12.5 Million
The two media houses published news articles in 2021 on their websites and radio stations when Kang'ata was the county's senator
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Murang'a governor Irungu Kang'ata has been paid a total of Ksh12.5 million by Royal Media Services (RMS) and Mediamax Limited, which owns the popular TV stations Citizen TV and K24 TV.
The two media houses published news articles in 2021 on their websites and radio stations when Kang'ata was the county's senator, stories he alleged were defamatory and contained a legitimate falsehood.
The county boss noted that the clips played by the media houses on September 15, 2021, were maliciously doctored and ruined his reputation.
A collage of Royal Media Services and Mediamax. /FILE
He said he attempted to address the house from his car but then-Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka denied him the audience because of his location and asked him to physically present himself at the senate and make his address. Kang'ata wanted to address the house over the plight of Murang'a farmers.
He added that the articles had associated him with morally reprehensible behaviour in the cases filed before the Milimani magistrates court.
However, the two media houses denied the claims and defended the publication by stating that they acted in good faith and were not meant to damage Kang'ata's reputation.
Kang'ata had claimed that the words which were picked by radio stations including Kameme FM were sensationally broadcast at the time when there were heightened political activities and a year before the August 9 general elections. He defended himself saying he is a church-goer, a husband and father of four school-going children and also a mentor and a moral beacon.
The radio station further dissected the alleged transcript the following morning and invited callers who further scandalised Dr Kang'ata. This prompted him to supply the stations with the unedited version of the transcripts and urged the media houses to pull down the offending articles without success.
"Further enclosed is a consent letter in duplicate duly exercised on our part marking this fully and finally settled with no orders as to costs," reads a letter to Kang'ata's lawyers Tindi Munyasi & Company dated November 7.
Kang'ata appealed to Speaker Lusaka to summon the concerned media editors to appear before the House Power and Privileges Committee for remedial action.
The two media houses and the county boss thus reached an out-of-court settlement that saw RMS pay him Ksh6 million and Mediamax Ksh6.5 million to his bank account.
"Please find for onward transmission to your client. Please let us have the receipt. The next payments will be made through the bank details provided," RMS wrote to Kang'ata through its lawyers.
"Kindly confirm receipt of the funds to enable us to advise our Client. Further, enclosed is a consent letter in duplicate duly executed on our part marking this fully and finally settled with no orders as to costs for your execution.
"Kindly give the bearer of this letter a signed copy of the consent letter to return for our immediate filing in court and supply of a filed copy to our client. We will share a filed copy for your record too," Mediamax stated through its lawyers.
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata. /FACEBOOK.IRUNGU KANG'ATA
