Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera has turned to the courts following days of being linked to the murder of the Munyuki High School Principal, Simon Isiaho Shange.
In three lawsuits filed at the Milimani Commercial Courts, the MP is seeking a Ksh60 million payout for defamation from three bloggers who he accuses of spreading the rumours online.
Nabwera, through his lawyers, seeks compensation of Ksh20 million from each of the popular bloggers, who he accuses of publishing false and malicious content that he says has tarnished his image, incited the public, and put his family at risk.
The allegations were reportedly posted across five popular social media pages with incriminating headlines, including “Vanished After Defying the MP” and “MP Nabwera Come Clean on the Death of This Teacher.”
Before taking the matter to court, the lawmaker's lawyer wrote to the bloggers, demanding that they remove the posts, apologise, and compensate him.
However, none of them complied, resulting in legal action being taken. The suits were filed under a certificate of urgency, asking the court to order the removal of the posts, the publication of public apologies and the payment of Ksh20 million in damages from each of the three bloggers.
In his sworn affidavit, the MP described the late principal as a personal friend and a respected educationist, saying the online accusations were “false, malicious, and politically motivated.”
He further claimed that the remarks triggered hostility and threats from members of the public, with some online users rallying to “occupy” and destroy his home in Lugari.
On Saturday, November 8, the body of the school principal, who had been missing since Monday, November 3, was found in Kipkaren River.
His body, which had reportedly been mutilated, was found floating in the river, several kilometres away from where his damaged car had been found after a reported accident on the day he disappeared. Reports indicated signs of torture and some missing body parts.
The discovery of the body sparked outrage in the community, who claimed that the headteacher had been murdered and the murder had been staged to look like an accident.
On Sunday, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers threatened to disrupt the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations in Kakamega County if the government failed to take action over the murder.
Although no suspects have yet been named, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations has confirmed that it is treating the death as a homicide.
