Irungu Kang'ata threatens to sue Citizen, K24 over 'Sabina Joy video'

While addressing the Senate on Tuesday, Senator Kang'ata discredited a widely shared video in which it seemed that he had attended a Senate sitting virtually from a bar.

The Senator further identified four media houses which carried headlines on the alleged fake video, asking Speaker Kenneth Lusaka to summon them.

"It appears that yesterday someone manipulated Senate proceedings and gave a false voice over which inserted somebody purportedly saying that I was seated in a certain bar. Mr Speaker, for the record, yours truly has never touched any drop of beer, wine or any form of alcohol since the time yours truly was born.

Murang'a Senator Irungu Kang'ata Pulse Live Kenya

"Yours truly has never smoked and has never taken any sort of drug and that is based on my strong religious upbringing and, therefore, anyone who wanted to show me in that light has insulted me personally and my religion as a Catholic faithful," the Senator explained.

He went on to note that the fake video defamed his character as a father and caused embarrassment to his family.

Kang'ata added: "Today it is me, tomorrow it is another Senator and the dignity of this house will be impugned. Mr Speaker please seize this opportunity to call those editors to appear before the Powers and Privileges Committee of this house and take remedial actions because once they picked up that story, they gave it legitimacy. You have the power to punish those media houses."

On his verified Twitter handle, Senator Kang'ata threatened to sue Citizen digital, Kameme FM and K24 which had not taken down the manipulated video by Tuesday evening.

Murang'a Senator Irungu Kang'ata with Deputy President William Ruto Pulse Live Kenya

Fake video of Irungu Kang'ata at Sabina Joy

The video was circulated on Tuesday afternoon and went viral for the better part of Wednesday.

Senator Kang'ata confirmed that he was indeed not present at the Senate chambers and had attended the session virtually from his office.

He added that a technical hitch had caused him to make his way physically to the chambers from where he addressed the sitting.

Fellow Senators joined in condemning the doctored video urging members of the press to conduct due diligence before publishing such controversial footage.

"What bothers me, Mr Speaker, is that the video has a commentary. The only way to remedy that is for KBC to release the original footage, verbatim, and not later than an hour after your pronouncement. Next, deal with the people who broadcasted the wrong video and they must give an explanation to this house on how they obtained the video," Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr remarked.