Veteran Radio host Fred Obachi Machoka has filed a defamation lawsuit against Nairobi MCA Robert Alai, demanding Ksh. 60 million in damages. The suit stems from a controversial Facebook post in which Mr. Alai allegedly accused Machoka of being HIV positive.
The case, filed through prominent lawyer Danstan Omari, accuses Alai of making “false, malicious and defamatory” statements on his Facebook account directly naming and tagging Machoka. The post read,”
“@Fred Obachi Machoka OGW I feel your ethnic rage. It’s just ethnic. Your problem is supply of ARVs not Presidency. Democracy also entails me telling you that. Where is the insult in saying the things Matiang’i did? Does HIV bring insanity nowadays?”
According to court documents, the post left no ambiguity as to whom it was directed. Machoka’s legal team argues that by tagging their client, Alai ensured the defamatory statements would reach a wide audience, effectively broadcasting the damaging claims to Machoka’s over 480,000 Facebook followers and beyond.
Following the post, Machoka demanded a public apology from Alai, warning of legal action should it not be issued. The apology never came, prompting the media icon to turn to the courts.
In his affidavit, Machoka refutes the allegations in detail. He states unequivocally that he is HIV negative and has never taken antiretroviral drugs, making Alai’s insinuations not only false but also medically baseless. He further argues that public declarations about an individual’s health status especially one as sensitive as HIV cannot be made lightly or without proof, and certainly not on the basis of online speculation.
Equally troubling to Machoka was Alai’s implication of tribalism. Machoka states that throughout his 47-year career in media, most famously as the host of the long-running “Roga Roga” show he has promoted values of national unity and inclusivity. He insists he has never engaged in ethnic-driven rhetoric and finds the accusation not only hurtful but contradictory to the principles he has championed for nearly five decades.
Additionally, Machoka challenges Alai’s suggestion that he may be suffering from a mental illness, asserting that he has never been diagnosed with or treated for any such condition. His team claims the comments were made with “clear malice aforethought,” crafted not just to provoke but to tarnish his personal and professional image.
Lawyer Danstan Omari, speaking on behalf of Machoka, emphasized the gravity of the damage done. He noted that Machoka is not only a national icon but also a respected figure across the East African region and beyond. “This is a man whose name has been built over decades,” Omari said. “To falsely associate him with illness, tribalism, and mental instability is a grave assault on his dignity and professional legacy.”
The suit contends that Alai’s social media platform, combined with his public stature as a political figure, gave his words undue credibility and reach, thus compounding the harm inflicted.