Governor aspirant barred from publishing defamatory statements against Kitui County secretary
By Zipporah Ngwatu, June 16, 2026A Milimani Commercial Magistrate Court has issued an order restraining Kitui governor aspirant Francis Musili Kauta from publishing defamatory statements against the County Secretary for Kitui County Government Agnes Kawila Mulewa and Francis Kyalo Mbindyo.
Senior Principal Magistrate Mary Njagi on June 12, 2026, barred Kauta from publishing the defamatory statements against the two plaintifs (Mulewa and Kyalo) on any social media platforms pending the hearing and determination of the application filed against him.
The interim order issued by Magistrate Njagi restrains the governor aspirant, whether by himself or through his agents and servants, from publishing the said statements on Kitui Assembly Chats and Mulango Ward Development Forum WhatsApp groups, Facebook, TikTok and X platforms.
“Pending that inter partes hearing and determination of the application, an order of injunction be and is hereby issued restraining the respondent (Kauta), whether by himself, his servants, agents, employees or otherwise howsoever, from writing, publishing, posting or circulating, or causing to be published or circulated, any defamatory statements about the plaintiffs (Mulewa and Kyalo) on Kitui Assembly Chats and Mulango Ward Development Forum WhatsApp groups or any other social media platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or TikTok,” Magistrate Njagi ordered.
Seeking conservatory orders
The county secretary and Kyalo, through their lawyer, filed a certificate of urgency at the Milimani Commercial Court seeking conservatory orders blocking Kauta from continuing to write and publish statements which, according to them, are defamatory.
According to a sworn affidavit by Mulewa, the said publications done on Kitui Assembly chats and Mulango Ward Development Forum are false and actuated by malice, reckless and not based on any factual considerations but meant to disparage their reputation.
In seeking the order, Mulewa and Kyalo stated that if court does not stop Kauta, he will continue to make defamatory posts and comments with reckless abandon and continue to disparage their reputation to their detriment.
The matter will be mentioned on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, for further directions.