The High Court has set January 22, 2026, for the hearing of a defamation suit filed by former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa against Seth Panyako and Oga Obinna TV, a popular YouTube platform owned by comedian Daniel “Oga Obinna” Ndambuki.
In papers filed in court on Wednesday, January 7, Echesa accuses the two of making false and damaging statements during an interview that linked him to the violence that rocked Malava constituency during the November by-elections.
According to Echesa, remarks made by Panyako who was then contesting the Malava parliamentary seat went beyond political opinion and were presented as statements of fact. He argues that the comments painted him as a violent individual, an arsonist and a threat to public safety.
The former CS says the interview, which was later shared on Oga Obinna TV’s YouTube channel, subjected him to public ridicule, hatred and contempt, severely damaging his reputation.
Echesa has strongly denied the claims, insisting he has never led, funded or taken part in any violent group or criminal activity. He maintains that he has a clean record and notes that no criminal charges have ever been brought against him in connection with the allegations aired during the show.
In his petition, Echesa is asking the court to order the immediate removal of the contested videos from the YouTube channel, arguing that their continued availability continues to harm his name and standing.
While giving directions on the matter, the court instructed Echesa to formally serve the respondents with the application ahead of the January 22 hearing date.
The case stems from a November interview in which Panyako accused Echesa, alongside a local Member of Parliament, of allegedly receiving money to instigate violence in Malava in a bid to influence the outcome of the by-election. In the same interview, Panyako claimed he narrowly escaped an assassination plot allegedly orchestrated by politicians days before the mini polls.
Despite the explosive claims, Panyako, who was flying the DAP-Kenya ticket, finished second in the race, losing to United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate David Ndakwa.
The court is now expected to weigh whether the statements amounted to fair political commentary or crossed the line into defamation.
