President Uhuru Kenyatta’s kin Paul Gathecha Muhoho and businessman Evans Gor Semelang’o are demanding an apology from a local media publication linking their entity, Pretrokenya Oil Company to proceeds of the NYS scandal.
The newspaper in its June 13 and 15, 2018 publications released the articles titled ‘How Uhuru Kin and Gor Semelang’o Got Millions From NYS Deal’ and ‘PS’s Explosive Dossier On NYS Spills The Beans.’
In their letter by P. M. Kimani and Company Advocates, Muhoho and Semelang'o accused the media of publishing the article without making any attempt to verify the accuracy in the details thereof.
[caption caption="Businessman Gor Semelang'o "]
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“You have made defamatory allegations in relations to, and cast aspersions against, our said clients; by alleging expressly and by innuendo, that our clients have, improperly and/or otherwise directly, or in collusion with others, fraudulently obtained, or benefited from, motives irregularly paid by the National Youth Service,” reads the letter dated June 21, 2018 addressed to the editorial at the media house.
Mr. Muhoho and Semelang’o demanded that the media house provides, “a written, unconditional and unreserved apology in publications with similar coverage and/or outreach as the same as the ones that carried the said offensive articles; such an apology to bear similar prominence of the said offensive articles.”
Petrokenya, partly owned by Mama Ngina Kenyatta’s younger brother (Gathecha Muhoho) had been subcontracted by Horizon LTD to supply diesel to the National Youth Service. The media house targeted in the suit reported that Petrokenya was paid to a tune of Sh63 Million by NYS after supplying diesel.
The letter refutes the claims that the payments were proceeds of the NYS scandal, referring to documents available in court and open for scrutiny.
Petrokenya directors had moved to court demanding that their partner in the diesel supply dea l(Horizon LTD) is compelled to pay them for the supply of at least 500,00 liters of fuel to the service.
Former AG Githu Muigai had intervened in the prolonged legal battle and advised NYS to pay Mr. Muhoho and Semelang'o after a court order allowed them to attach property belonging to Horizon Limited over the dues.
[caption caption="An NYS recruits parade "]
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The letter of intent to sue referred the media and interested members of the public to the Nairobi High Court Civil Case No. 505 of 2016. Mr. Muhoho and Semelang'o also want the media house to pledge in writing that they will never publish what may be deemed as defamatory against their person or company in future.
