Nelson Amenya, the outspoken activist who exposed the controversial plan by the Adani Group to take over the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), is now facing a new legal battle.
According to recent developments, Jayesh Saini, a businessman said to have close ties with President William Ruto, has filed a lawsuit against Amenya in France. The move comes after Saini lost an earlier defamation case against Amenya, which was also linked to allegations surrounding questionable healthcare deals.
The legal fight between the two is raising more questions about the connections between big business, politics, and the new Social Health Authority (SHA).
According to Kenyans.co.ke, Jayesh Saini is also believed to be one of the main beneficiaries of the SHA program, which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). This new scheme has attracted criticism, especially from whistleblowers like Amenya, who claim that it has opened the door for corruption and shady deals.
Amenya, who is currently based in France, said he is ready to face Saini in open court and is not afraid of the threats being thrown at him. He made it clear that the French court has accepted to hear the matter in public, allowing everyone to follow the proceedings closely.
Despite facing pressure, Amenya seems calm and confident. He confirmed that his legal team is fully prepared, and he expects to beat Saini in court again. He believes that this legal fight is bigger than him and is about protecting whistleblowers across Africa.
“They cannot plunder from us and then use the justice system to continue oppressing us,” he said. Amenya added that in Kenya, another case is still ongoing where his lawyer Willis Otieno is defending him.
This case is also expected to be heard in open court and could see Saini cross-examined.
In the lawsuit filed in France, Saini accused Amenya of making false claims on social media, especially posts related to the transition from NHIF to SHA. He demanded Ksh8 million in damages and legal fees.
But French judge Francois Hary dismissed the case, saying Amenya’s comments were protected by freedom of expression laws in the European Union. The judge said the topics raised were matters of public interest, including corruption in Kenya’s healthcare system. Saini was then ordered to pay Ksh667,000 to cover Amenya’s legal costs.
This isn’t the first time Amenya has faced legal trouble for his activism. Last year, a similar defamation case was filed against him in Kenya and was also thrown out. The High Court ruled that the allegations were already public and Amenya was within his rights to speak about them.
His efforts have made him a target, but he continues to speak out, often calling out top politicians and businessmen linked to suspicious deals. On October 15 last year, he was even slapped with a court order stopping him from publishing anything about Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot’s alleged role in the Adani deal, until the court could hear the matter a week later.
