Kisii Governor Simba Arati Secures Court Restraining Orders Against Senator Richard Onyonka Over Alleged Defamation

Court Bars Onyonka From Publishing Defamatory Statements Pending Hearing

Kisii Governor Simba Arati has obtained temporary court orders restraining Senator Richard Onyonka from making or circulating allegedly defamatory statements about him while the legal suit is pending.

The High Court in Kisii, in a ruling delivered by Justice Nixon Sifuna, issued interim injunctions preventing the Senator from publishing or disseminating any material similar to the complaints raised in Arati’s suit. The orders cover all forms of communication, including print media, WhatsApp, and social media platforms.

“Pending the inter partes hearing of the application, a temporary injunctive order is hereby issued, restraining the defendant (Onyonka) by himself and through his agents or anyone acting on his behalf, from uttering, publishing, or disseminating to the public through print media, WhatsApp, or any social media platform any material similar to the one complained of in this suit,” Justice Sifuna directed.

The court’s decision follows a suit filed by Governor Arati, who alleged that Onyonka made defamatory remarks about his character and political standing during public rallies and on social media. According to court records, Arati’s legal team argued that the statements had caused ongoing and irreparable damage to his reputation and public image.

"That as a result of the said statement and publication of the said words, I have been greatly injured in character and reputation as a consequence whereof I have been brought into grave public ridicule and contempt in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society at large," the court documents state.

Arati’s legal team emphasized that the matter required urgent court intervention due to the rapid circulation of the statements. “The said publication is not only defamatory but damages my reputation, tarnishes my image, and questions my ability to govern and lead the people of the great County Government of Kisii,” the Governor noted in court filings.

The application also requested a mandatory injunction requiring the removal or deletion of all defamatory posts, videos, or articles from social media platforms, including WhatsApp and Facebook, as well as print media.

Justice Nixon Sifuna certified the matter as urgent and directed that the application be heard on a priority basis, with the interim orders remaining in force until the hearing.