Garissa Township MP and National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale has sued Daily Nation for defamation following their articles that revealed how he has been awarded government tenders worth Sh2.6 billion over the last ten years.
Mr Duale who on Thursday quickly distanced himself from the company, has filed legal suit to Nation Media demanding immediate apology from the author of the articles.
Duale though his lawyers has given Nation Media a Seven Day ultimatum to apologize. The apology letter is also supposed to be followed by full admission owning to the fact that it defamed Duale.
“Following the highly damaging yet patently false headline published against me on the Daily Nation, I have instructed my lawyers to serve them with a demand letter for the withdrawal of the article and for the newspaper to publish a similarly prominent apology to me within 7 days,” Duale stated.
Following the highly damaging yet patently false headline published against me on the @dailynation, I have instructed my lawyers to serve them with a demand letter for the withdrawal of the article and for the newspaper to publish a similarly prominent apology to me within 7 days pic.twitter.com/aJynLQX3eR
— Hon. Aden Duale (@HonAdenDuale) July 18, 2019
The outspoken Legislator claimed that Daily Nation media did a hatchet job for his political distractors.
“I support truthful and impartial journalism, but what the Daily Nation did was nothing but a hatchet job on behalf of my political detractors. I won’t allow it today, or ever,” Duale insisted.
I support truthful and impartial journalism, but what the @dailynation did was nothing but a hatchet job on behalf of my political detractors. I won't allow it today, or ever. pic.twitter.com/SARDg6Y11c
— Hon. Aden Duale (@HonAdenDuale) July 18, 2019
Duale has also directed Nation Media to immediately pull down all the offensive social media articles and post and again apologize using their officials social media handles.
Failure to apologize as stipulated by Duale’s lawyers , Nation Media may be faced with harsh penalties.
Duale sent to Nation Media identification documents of the man he claims owns Concordia Building and Civil Engineering Company Limited, the firm in the multi-billion-shilling tender mystery.
According to the documents, the owner of the mysterious Company is called Aden Bare Duale.
Ownership of the company could put Mr Duale in conflict with procurement laws, which prohibit State officers from doing business with the government.
Section 59 of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act is explicit on the participation of State officers in government tenders, noting that “a State organ or public entity shall not enter into a contract for a procurement… with State and public officers”.