Langata Member of Parliament Felix Odiwuor, also known as Jalang'o, on Wednesday backtracked on his decision to sue Blogger Cyprian Nyakundi after the opposite number's legal team dared him to proceed with the case.
While addressing the media on Wednesday, September 13, in Lang'ata, Jalang'o regretted that the Blogger was likely to stoop low and cause him and his family pain.
He also noted that the claims that he was part of a gold scam racket had led to serious injuries to his reputation and public image, but he would not sue the blogger as earlier intended.
"I woke up the other day to the news that I was part of a group that is linked to the Ksh1 billion scandal. Imagine, Ksh1 billion! What would I be doing here if I had Ksh1 billion?
"However, I have been advised not to sue because these media people thrive on such things," Jalang'o stated.
The Lang'ata Member of Parliament explained that suing Nyakundi would only lead to more legal challenges both for him and the Writer.
"Everybody was telling me to sue them but there I realised that they have written bad stories about everyone in the society.
"Some of them were calling me and telling me that they would like to help me clean my name. I have made it clear that I am not interested in any name-cleaning process," Jalang'o stated.
On Tuesday, September 12, Nyakundi invited the Langata Member of Parliament to a legal battle, expressing confidence that he would emerge victorious.
Through his Lawyer, Donald Kipkorir, the Blogger claims that the former Comedian will be forced to reveal the source of his wealth as per the Leadership & Integrity Act and Access to Information Act.
Lawyer Kipkorir noted that his client committed no offence in the claims which he published on his digital platforms including on X, formerly Twitter.
"We have been retained by Cyprian Nyakundi, our Client, to act for him herein. Our Client avers that your allegations and Claim are without Constitutional, legal and factual basis and peremptory denies in toto the same.
"Our Client will defend any ill-advised Suit and will Counter-claim for full disclosure under The Leadership & Integrity Act and Access to Information Act. Be guided appropriately," Kipkorir warned Jalang'o.
The Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012 (No. 19 of 2012) sets out the ethical standards and code of conduct for public officers. The Act was enacted to promote integrity and good governance in public service.
The Act defines a public officer as any person who holds or exercises a public office or performs a public function. This includes elected officials, civil servants, and employees of state corporations.
It also sets out a number of principles that public officers must uphold, including honesty and integrity, fairness and impartiality, transparency and accountability.
Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012 also demands respect for the law, devotion to duty and commitment to public service.
It prohibits public officers from engaging in a number of activities, including corruption, nepotism, conflict of interest, abuse of office and misuse of public resources.
The Act establishes the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) as the independent body responsible for enforcing the Act. The EACC has the power to investigate, prosecute, and punish public officers who violate the Act.
Some of the key provisions of the Leadership and Integrity Act include a requirement for public officers to declare their wealth.
It also demands that public officers must avoid conflict of interest and not use their office for personal gain. Public officers must also not accept gifts or favors from people who do business with the government.
