Sakaja loses bid to block media houses from linking him to Gen-Z protest violence

The High Court in Nairobi has rejected an application by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja seeking to restrain media houses and journalists from publishing stories linking him to violence during the June 17 Gen-Z protests.

In his suit filed on June 19, 2025, Sakaja accused three defendants, a media company and two of its journalists, Evans Habii and Nyaboge Kiage, of defaming him through a story that carried his photograph and statements allegedly portraying him as a sponsor of chaos.

The Governor argued that the publication injured his reputation and warned that without court intervention, similar stories could be republished in the future, especially on the anniversaries of the anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.

The defendants opposed the motion, maintaining that their reporting was based on events and statements made in the context of the protests.

Justice Sifuna, in a ruling, said the issues raised would be determined at the full trial but declined to grant the interim injunction sought by the Governor.

The defamation case will now proceed to hearing.