I welcome scrutiny’: Wanga hits back at media over Homa Bay violence exposé
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has filed a formal complaint against local media outlets, alleging defamatory and unverified reporting regarding violence in her county. She argues that the media failed to meet journalistic standards and ignored her right of reply.
Why it matters
The dispute underscores tensions between local government officials and the media regarding accountability and the accuracy of political reporting.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has lodged a formal complaint with the Media Council of Kenya over what she described as defamatory and unverified reporting on violence witnessed in the county on August 16, 2026.
In the complaint dated September 7, Wanga accused a television station and a newspaper of airing and publishing allegations that she said were fabricated, unverified and prejudicial to her character and the office she holds.
Wanga said her objection was not to media scrutiny, which she said she welcomed, but to what she described as a failure to meet basic journalistic standards.
“My concern is not with legitimate media scrutiny: I welcome accountability and open public discourse,” she said.
The governor said the reports created what she termed a “false and deliberate impression” about the events in Homa Bay.
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