Digital Strategist Dennis Itumbi threatened to sue a controversial blogger for linking him to a damning story on President Uhuru Kenyatta.
On Thursday, November 21, through his lawyers, Waithera Kinuthia & Co. Advocates, Itumbi served blogger Polycarp Hinga with a notice, demanding him to admit liability for false malicious publication and apologise over his remarks.
On Tuesday, November 12, Hinga tweeted that Itumbi had urged Kenyans to gang up against Kenyatta who had wondered why Kenyans were broke, during a meeting with government officials.
“Guys, share the blog by Pulse and Tuko widely. Let’s sell that narrative to Kenyans that Uhuru is not understanding why they are broke!” the message Hinga claimed was written by Itumbi read.
The lawyers argued that the deleted message had put Itumbi’s integrity and job on the line. Itumbi’s job in reference according to the letter is the position of senior director of digital new media and diaspora at the Presidential Strategic and Communication Unit (PSCU).
“The said words intended to mean that our client is a political saboteur targeting the president, a political liability, is disloyal, is propagandist member of a war council, is incompetent, trouble maker and rabble-rouser, is unfit to hold public office and much less in the office of the president and has no respect to lawful authorities and offices,” the letter read.
It further stated that the story had damaged Itumbi’s reputation and he had suffered considerable distress and embarrassment to himself and his family. The law firm gave Hinga a five-day ultimatum to adhere to their demands or face a lawsuit.
Hinga trolled the law firm on Twitter alleging that the notice was issued to him via Whatsapp. This was a thinly veiled reference to Itumbi’s court case over a fake assassination letter on Deputy President William Ruto.
“I am not aware that he has responded. He should do it in writing as it is up to him. The notice we issued to Hinga is a way of drawing a line between criticism and fake news,” Waithera Kinuthia informed Kenyans.co.ke on phone.
“I trust my lawyers will handle the situation,” Itumbi added while declining to comment on how his career and reputation had been injured.
