Kisumu City Manager Michael Abala Wanga is once again at the centre of intense public scrutiny—this time facing a swirl of contrasting fortunes: a fresh Sh5 million court victory for defamation even as he battles ongoing criminal proceedings over alleged forgery, fraudulent employment documents, and suspicious facilitation of international travel.
On Friday, the Milimani Commercial Courts awarded Abala a Sh5 million payout after ruling that the Kenya Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KLTTB) defamed him in 2014.
Senior Principal Magistrate Stephen Onjoro held that the public notice published by the board on August 20, 2014—declaring Abala “not authorised” to transact business on the board’s behalf—was false, malicious, and injurious to his reputation. The notice suggested dishonesty and misconduct, prompting “numerous concerned inquiries” from Abala’s professional circles.
The magistrate slammed the Board’s attempt to rely on old, unproven fraud allegations, noting that Abala had since been acquitted.
“A defence of justification cannot be sustained by relying on unproven allegations,” Onjoro ruled, awarding Sh4 million in general damages and Sh1 million in aggravated damages.
The ruling marks a significant reputational win for the city manager—but it does not close the storm clouds gathering over him elsewhere.
Even as the ink dries on the defamation judgment, Abala remains entangled in a separate, high-stakes criminal case.
According to court filings, Kisumu City Manager Michael Abala Wanga faces charges of:
Forging KCSE and KCPE certificates allegedly used to secure county employment
Earning salaries using fraudulent employment documents, amounting to millions
Facilitating the travel of a woman to a West African country under the false pretext that she was an official employee of the Kisumu City Government
Investigators say the latter incident involved irregular documentation purporting that the woman was traveling on official county business—papers allegedly processed or approved through Abala’s office.
The criminal case, which is still pending before the Anti-Corruption Court, raises serious questions about integrity inside the Kisumu City administration. Abala has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing.
The legal contrast is striking:
In civil court, Abala is the victim of defamatory overreach and walks away Sh5 million richer.
In criminal court, he is the accused—facing allegations that, if proven, could cost him his job, liberty, and political prospects.
The developments have polarized Kisumu’s political and civic spaces, where Abala is a visible and often controversial figure. His supporters call the charges a “witch-hunt,” while critics argue the city cannot maintain credibility under a leader with unresolved integrity questions.
The defamation victory gives Abala a powerful narrative boost, but his pending forgery and fraud trial remains the elephant in the room. Legal experts say the outcome of the criminal case will define his future far more than the civil win.
For now, Kisumu residents are watching a tale of two courts unfold—one vindicating the city manager’s name, the other probing whether he built it on forged foundations.
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