Nominated Senator Hezena Malmal Lemaletian has responded to a demand letter issued by lawyers acting for Samburu Senator Lelegwe Ltumbesi, insisting that her public remarks were made in good faith and within her constitutional duty to speak on matters of public interest and personal security.
The response comes after advocates for the elected Samburu Senator accused Lemaletian of publishing a video containing what they described as false and defamatory claims linking him to violence, intimidation and threats allegedly aimed at stopping her from contesting the Samburu Senate seat. 
In the demand letter dated February 3, 2026, the lawyers accused the nominated senator of portraying Ltumbesi as a criminal figure, a sponsor of political violence and a person unfit to hold public office, and demanded an unconditional retraction and public apology within seven days. 
In her reply, Lemaletian draws a clear distinction between her role as a nominated senator and Ltumbesi’s position as an elected county representative, saying the statements she made were not intended to undermine the mandate of the Samburu electorate but to raise concerns about her own safety and the political environment in which she operates.
She notes that unlike Ltumbesi, who holds an elective seat and derives his authority directly from voters in Samburu County, she serves in the Senate through party nomination and therefore has no electoral contest with him at present.
The nominated legislator maintains that her comments were based on information and circumstances known to her at the time, and that she did not act with malice or reckless disregard for the truth.
She further states that any material or information in her possession relating to threats or intimidation should be addressed through lawful and appropriate channels, and not reduced to public exchanges between politicians and lawyers.
Lemaletian has also rejected the portrayal of her remarks as a calculated political attack on an elected leader, saying her intention was to highlight personal security concerns and broader issues affecting women in leadership and public life.
The lawyers for Senator Ltumbesi had warned that failure to comply with their demands would trigger both civil and criminal proceedings.
