Media personality Alex Mwakideu has responded to a defamation suit filed by motivational speaker and pastor Robert Burale, who is suing for an injunction against interviews on Alex Mwakideu TV featuring Burale’s ex-wife, Rozina Mwakideu.
In a reply affidavit filed before the Milimani Commercial Courts under case number MCCC/E7025/2025, Mwakideu termed Burale’s application “misguided, premature, and legally unsupportable.” He asserted that the interviews were conducted in good faith, within the realm of journalistic ethics, and in the public interest.
Mwakideu clarified that after interviewing Burale on his channel, the majority of his viewers including Burale himself requested that he invite Rozina to share her side of the story. Referring to Proverbs 18:17, Mwakideu quoted, “There are two sides to every story… until you hear the other side and they set the record straight.”
Rozina’s interview, he said, went on air as her own testimony about her marriage, which she described as “the darkest period” of her life. Mwakideu denied malice or distortion and said the interview fell within media standards under the Media Council Act, 2013.
The broadcaster also argued that Burale’s own public disclosures about his past including addiction, debts, and relationships make his defamation case lame. “Truth cannot defame,” Mwakideu argued, referring to Burale’s previous interviews and book From the Strip Club to the Pulpit.
He also alluded to several leading cases, including Giella v Cassman Brown and Micah Cheserem v Immediate Media Services, where he argued that injunctions in defamation cases are not usually granted where defences such as truth and fair comment can be raised.
Mwakideu ruled that Burale had not proved reputational harm or loss, pointing out that the preacher continues to appear in public and shares motivational messages on social media.
The court is yet to rule on Burale’s application for an injunction, as both sides gear up for a full trial that could test the limits of free speech and reputation in Kenya’s online media environment.
