A senior Kakamega police commander has moved to court seeking Sh 20 million in damages from politician Seth Panyako over what he describes as false, malicious and injurious statements made ahead of the Malava by-election. 
James Momanyi, the Administration Police Commander for Kakamega, filed an urgent case at the Milimani Commercial Courts accusing Panyako of spreading a viral video alleging that he was part of a plot to interfere with the November 27 polls.
Momanyi says Panyako’s statements were not only untrue but deliberately crafted to paint him as a compromised officer working for political interests, a portrayal he says has caused immense reputational damage. 
The officer argues that the remarks have shaken public trust in him, triggered backlash from residents and jeopardized his service record built over three years without a single complaint.
He says the claims made during a press address and widely circulated online suggest he is being used to create chaos during the by-election, a narrative he calls dangerous and reckless.
In his suit, Momanyi wants the court to compel Panyako to issue an unequivocal public apology, stop making any further statements about him, and shoulder the legal costs of the case. 
But the key demand is the KSh 20,000,000 compensation for the harm caused to his reputation, career, and personal safety, arguing that the defamatory remarks have exposed him and his family to public hostility.
He also warns that Panyako’s threat to mobilize demonstrations seeking his transfer is baseless and puts him at risk both professionally and personally. 
Momanyi told the court that as a senior security officer, he performs his duties strictly according to the law, without fear or favour, and that the allegations undermine the credibility of law enforcement during a sensitive poll period.
Filed under a certificate of urgency, the application asks the court to act swiftly before the false narrative escalates further as the by-election approaches.
