Media personality Alex Mwakideu has hit back at Pastor Robert Burale’s defamation suit, saying the preacher cannot claim damage over matters he has already made public in his own writings and interviews.
Burale, a well-known motivational speaker and pastor, sued Mwakideu and his former wife, Rozina Mwakideu, over a YouTube interview that went viral earlier this month. In the video, Rozina described her marriage to Burale as “the darkest part of my life” and her “biggest mistake.”
Burale argues that the remarks portrayed him as manipulative, deceitful and immoral, damaging his reputation and livelihood. He is seeking KSh 20 million in damages, an apology, and the removal of the video from YouTube.
But in his court response, Mwakideu insists there was nothing defamatory about the interview. He says the statements discussed were already matters of public record.
“The issues raised in the interview are drawn from the plaintiff’s own admissions,” Mwakideu states in his affidavit, referring to Burale’s 2015 memoir From the Strip Club to the Pulpit. In that book, Burale spoke candidly about his past struggles with addiction, debt and personal relationships.
Mwakideu’s legal team argues that the interview was conducted “in good faith and in the public interest,” adding that Kenyan law protects freedom of speech and media expression.
Burale, however, maintains that the video went beyond fair comment and exposed him to “public ridicule and hatred.” His lawyers say the statements implied criminal conduct and moral failing, which they describe as “false, malicious and unjustified.”
The dispute has sparked wider discussion about where free speech ends and defamation begins—especially in Kenya’s fast-growing digital media space, where YouTube and podcasts have blurred traditional editorial boundaries.
Legal experts note that the case could test how Kenyan courts apply defamation law to online platforms. “When public figures speak openly about their private lives, it can complicate claims of defamation,” said one Nairobi-based media lawyer, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The question becomes: what’s fair to discuss, and what crosses the line?”
For now, both sides appear determined to stand their ground. The case, filed at the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court, is expected to proceed to a full hearing later this year.
Mwakideu, best known for his work on Radio47’s Morning Show, has remained tight-lipped outside court. Burale, meanwhile, has not commented publicly since the lawsuit was filed.
The controversy serves as a cautionary tale for Kenya’s fast-evolving media landscape—where personal stories, viral content, and the law often meet in unpredictable ways.
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