Onyango gives Gachagua 48 hours to apologise over ‘defamatory’ claims

A legal showdown is looming between Dennis Onyango and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua after the veteran communications strategist issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding a public apology and retraction over remarks he terms defamatory. 

‎Through his lawyers, Onyango claims Gachagua made “false, reckless and highly damaging” claims during a public rally held on April 28, 2026, at Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa.

Several opposition leaders attended the rally.

‎At the centre of the dispute are remarks attributed to Gachagua in which he allegedly questioned Onyango’s prior communication regarding the health and eventual death of Raila, suggesting possible foreknowledge of the opposition leader’s demise.

‎“Najua mambo ya marehemu Raila Odinga… How did Dennis Onyango know that Raila would die or was dying?” Gachagua is quoted as saying in the address that has since circulated widely across media platforms.

‎However, Onyango, through Oringe Waswa & Company Advocates, has dismissed the remarks as not only false but gravely defamatory, arguing they portray him as complicit in a sinister scheme.

‎“In their natural and ordinary meaning… the said words meant and were understood to mean that our client had improper or suspicious foreknowledge of harm… and was connected with a sinister scheme,” reads part of the demand letter.

‎The lawyers further argue that the statements have severely tarnished Onyango’s reputation, describing him as “a communications professional of longstanding distinction, whose integrity and discretion stand at the highest echelon of public life.”

‎They accuse Gachagua of leveraging his political stature to lend credibility to the claims.

‎“You spoke not as a private individual, but as a national leader… You therefore weaponised your platform to lend legitimacy to falsehoods,” the letter states.

‎Onyango is demanding a series of actions within 48 hours, including “a clear and unequivocal admission of liability,” a public apology issued with equal prominence as the original remarks, and a full retraction across all platforms where the statements were made.

‎The legal team also wants Gachagua to commit to ceasing any further publication of similar statements and to enter negotiations on compensation for damages.

‎“Such allegations are devastating… The distress, anxiety, hurt, and humiliation caused by this defamatory publication are profound,” the lawyers add.

‎They warn that failure to comply will trigger immediate legal proceedings without further notice.

‎Gachagua was yet to issue a formal response to the demand letter by press time.