Raila Odinga gives Nation 24 hours to retract "Race is on: Raila to face Ruto in 2022" article

Nation Media Group (NMG) has been given 24 hours to retract and apologize for an article published in its Sunday Nation edition on August 18, 2019.

In a letter from his lawyers Rachier & Amollo Advocates, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga claims that the article published about him amounts to defamation.

The contentious article was published in the newspaper under the headline "Race is on: Raila to face Ruto in 2022" and online as "Raila Hints at 2022 bid, says peace pact was a change of strategy".

Raila Odinga gives Sunday Nation 24 hours to retract "Race is on: Raila to face Ruto in 2022" article Pulse Live Kenya

"Our instructions therefore are to demand, as we hereby do, that immediately upon receipt hereof, you admit liability in defamation and malicious publication of false information, and immediately publish an unconditional retraction and apology on a front-page article of equal prominence on the Daily Nation newspaper and the online Daily Nation edition.

"In addition to retracting the said article, the apology article must specify that our client did not join any presidential race," the notice to NMG read in part.

Four points to note on Nation article about Raila

The letter clarified that Sunday Nation misquoted Mr Odinga, that he did not say that he had joined any presidential race.

Second, the special AU envoy's lawyers clarified that he does not believe in the premature campaigns for the election that is three years away.

Third, Raila's handlers conveyed that he stands by his position that after 2017, Kenyans and leaders ought to focus on economic, social and political issues that should be addressed before the next elections.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga gives Nation 24 hours to retract "Race is on: Raila to face Ruto in 2022" article Pulse Live Kenya

The fourth point the former PM asked NMG to publish with the apology was outlined as "...the aforesaid article undermines the meticulous efforts to help the country address delicate issues facing it...".

The ODM party leader demanded that all four points be clearly stated in the apology that Daily Nation should publish.

"Take notice that should you fail, refuse, and or neglect to admit liability and issue a retraction and apology as demanded by our client, and in any event within 24 hours hereof, we have firm and mandatory instructions to commence legal proceedings for appropriate relief to the fullest extent provided in law, without further reference and to your own peril as to attendant costs," the notice read.