- Lugari MP Seeks Criminal Probe into Bloggers Over Defamation Claims Linked to Principal’s Disappearance
The Member of Parliament for Lugari Constituency, Hon. Nabii Nabwera, has instructed his lawyers to petition the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to open a formal inquiry into three bloggers accused of defaming him by alleging his involvement in a recent road accident and the subsequent mysterious disappearance of a local school principal.
In a letter dated 8th November 2025, the law firm of Danstan Omari & Associates Advocates called upon the Divisional Criminal Investigation Officer in Lugari to apprehend and question the individuals for spreading what it termed malicious and ill-intended statements.
The formal request for a criminal investigation follows a tragic incident on the busy Eldoret-Malaba highway involving Simon Isiaho Shange, the principal of Munyuki High School. After the accident, the principal reportedly vanished from the scene under mysterious circumstances, an event that has sparked considerable local concern and speculation.
The lawyers identified the bloggers at the centre of the complaint as Peter Amunga, George Opunga Tamata, and Simon Asievela. According to the letter, these individuals have been actively propagating serious allegations against the sitting MP in the wake of the tragedy.
The law firm’s communication states that its client’s reputation is being unfairly tarnished by an online campaign. “A number of bloggers, led by Mr. Peter Amunga, Mr. George Opunga Tamata, and Mr. Simon Asievela have been going round spreading unqualified, ill-intended and malicious statements, alleging the involvement of our client, the Honourable Member of the National Assembly for Lugari, one Mr. Nabii Nabwera, as having had a hand in the said accident and the mysterious disappearance of the said principal,” the letter from Danstan Omari & Associates asserts.
This legal action comes after the firm had already served the named suspects with a demand letter, a common preliminary step in civil defamation matters.The latest move, however, seeks to escalate the issue into the realm of a criminal investigation. The firm’s letter urges state investigators to act decisively and probe the bloggers’ purported insider knowledge of the entire event.
It explicitly requests the DCIO in Lugari to move with speed, apprehend and investigate the above-mentioned bloggers based on their knowledge of what transpired and led to the said principal being involved in a road accident, as well as his alleged mysterious disappearance from the scene of the accident.” This suggests a belief that the bloggers may possess or claim to possess information crucial to unravelling the mystery surrounding the principal’s fate.
The principal’s disappearance has caused significant distress within the Lugari community, and the online allegations have drawn a sitting MP directly into the centre of the controversy. The legal action is framed not merely as a measure to protect the parliamentarian’s reputation but also as a step towards resolving the wider mystery for the benefit of all affected.
The law firm’s stated objective is to act to curtail the uninformed besmirching of our client’s name, and establishing the truth and/or falsehood behind the statements publicised by the said bloggers, among others, and bringing closer to the said principal’s family and friends, as well as the constituents of Lugari Constituency.”
This case underscores the escalating tensions between political figures and social media commentators in Kenya, where online allegations can rapidly shape public perception and fuel rumours. The decision to pursue a criminal investigation, beyond any potential civil remedy, indicates the seriousness with which the MP views the accusations. It places the state’s investigative machinery at the heart of a dispute that intertwines a personal reputation with a community tragedy, raising questions about the intersection of free speech, defamation, and the responsibility of online speech.
The law firm has expressed its cooperation with the authorities, noting they look forward to unravelling the truth regarding the disappearance of the Munyuki High School principal. The decision now rests with the DCI in Lugari on whether to launch a full criminal probe into the three named bloggers, a move that will be closely watched by both political and legal observers.
