Sonko Speaks On Millicent Omanga Being Linked To Alleged Steamy Video

Former Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko on Monday, April 17, addressed an alleged explicit video leaked onto the internet which made Interior Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Millicent Omanga trend online for the better part of the evening.

The video that was first shared by Twitter user Taekwondo Kenya as well as a parody account of a local gossip blog showed a woman purportedly resembling Omanga fast asleep in her room while in a raunchy position.

It was shared across other social media platforms as well as screengrabs of it, with many netizens believing that the former nominated senator had joined a growing list of celebrities and prominent figures in Kenya alleged to have ‘united Kenyans’ with raunchy footage.

In a statement on his social media handles, Sonko claimed that Omanga had called him while on official duty and informed him that she had a stomach problem, prompting the former county boss to intervene to resolve the issue.

Millicent Omanga taking her oath of office on March 23, 2023. /FACEBOOK.MILLICENT OMANGA

"We briefly spoke and she told me she had a running and bloated stomach and I advised her to take club soda or salt and hot water then lie on her stomach all night. Here she seems to be following the instructions I gave, innocently lying on her stomach resting after a long day of tree planting and working for this country that she loves so much.

"She even took the extra piece of advice where I told her to make sure she is ‘free’ so that she can pass gas in that position. Even as you can see from the photo the bedsheets are still well spread, clearly showing that no vigorous activity had taken place," he claimed, however failing to disclose the identity of the individual who was allegedly recording the clip.

Nominated Senator, Karen Nyamu also reacted to the leaked footage and condemned the individual who was purported to have taken the video, terming the act as childish.

"Yes, I have seen the video you are sending me. There's absolutely nothing to be ashamed of there. We have all been sleeping butt-naked at some point what is the big deal?

"The focus must immediately shift from the woman to the fool taking that video. Kwani wewe ni mtoto? (Are you a child?) What is your intention? There are women you can't bring down," she wrote on Facebook.

Omanga was yet to issue a response to the alleged leak video by the time of publication.

Oxford Dictionary defines revenge porn as posting revealing or sexually explicit images or videos of a person on the Internet, typically by a former sexual partner, without the consent of the subject and in order to cause them distress or embarrassment. 

Scholars define revenge porn as the intentional embarrassment of identifiable individuals through the posting of nude images online, done out of motives of revenge for relational scorn. The images are sometimes accompanied by personal information about the subject, including their full name, address and links to their social media platforms or profiles.

While there are no specific laws set aside to deal with revenge porn in the country, there are several provisions of the law that may be applied, case in focus is the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act of 2018.

The Act makes it a punishable offence to post nude images on the Internet without the consent of the owner with an intent to cause emotional distress. The images are sometimes accompanied by personal information about the subject, including their full name, address and links to their social media profiles.

The Act under section 37 which creates the offence provides to wit; "A person who transfers, publishes, or disseminates, including making a digital depiction available for distribution or downloading through a telecommunications network or through any other means of transferring data to a computer, the intimate or obscene image of another person commits an offence and is liable, on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand shillings or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both."

The victim, in addition, may also sue the aggressor for defamation as well as breach of privacy. Article 33(3) of the Constitution provides that in the exercise of the right to freedom of expression, every person shall respect the rights and reputation of others, revenge porn violates this law.

2023 has already seen more than four popular figures alleged to have been featured in raunchy videos. Others include Kenyan rapper Mwembia Munene popularly known as Boutross, Betty Kyallo, Azziad Nasenya and Georgina Njenga (girlfriend to former Machachari star Tyler ‘Baha’ Mbaya).

Boutross, Kyallo and Njenga had threatened to take legal action against those who started the fake narrative. Azziad on her part advocated for Kenyans to desist from spreading falsehoods about her, especially on such topics, as this can even expose one to cyberbullying.

Collage of Azziad Nasenya and porn actress Destiny Mira. /VIRALTEAKE