Eva Nyambura
Internal Security CS, Fred Matiang’i wants the Standard Newspaper to apologize for a misleading article published on January 23 by the Grapevine.
The ‘Vocal Minister in Illicit Affair with Choir Girl’ piece appeared on page 2 of the daily.
According to Mwenda Njoka, the ministry’s communications director, the article was not only defamatory but false as well without any proof.
The Standard has in the past described Matiang’i as ‘a no-nonsense, outspoken and strong Christian,’ words that the Grapevine used to refer to the minister in question.
”The net effect of the article was to defame, disparage and vilify an innocent public servant in the eyes of his peers, family and right thinking members of the public,” a letter to the Editorial Director reads in part.
Mr Njoka further states that as a result of the false publication, bloggers went a step further and identified the ‘minister in the illicit love affair.’
Blogger Cyprian Nyakundi, identified the minister as Matiang’i and has since accused the CS of trying to silence him using police officers. He claims that close to 10 officers stormed his family’s place of residence and has also been receiving threatening messages.
Matiang’i is a ‘morally upright public servant, hardworking and a family man’ who would never engage in the ‘immoral behaviour portrayed in the daily,’ the communications director has said.
The CS wants a retraction of the defamatory article and an apology from the Standard Newspaper within seven days.
”The purpose of this letter is to demand, on a without prejudice basis, unequivocal retraction of the defamatory article and an apology published prominently in your newspaper within the next seven days from the date of this letter,” the letter reads.
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It is said that Matiang’i has been in a spicy affair with a soloist in the Parklands Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Word has it that he has bought the girl a house in the city. The girl’s mother has been trying to find a solution to the matter and has reported it to the church elders who have tried to reach out to the CS.
The CS has however been ‘too busy’ as he has been ducking their calls and missing mass.
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