Real estate developer Willstone Homes Limited has issued a formal demand for Ksh 2 billion in damages from Nation Media Group (NMG), alleging defamation and reputational harm stemming from a front-page article published in the Daily Nation on Wednesday, June 4, 2025.
The controversial article, titled “Unmasked: Faces in Home Buying Scams,” allegedly links Willstone Homes to fraudulent real estate activities.
According to a demand letter from the law firm N.M. Kamwendwa & Co. Advocates, acting on behalf of Willstone Homes, the article was published “falsely and maliciously” and has caused significant damage to the company’s public image and financial standing.
“Our client is a reputable real estate developer with clients both locally and abroad. Its reputation and otherwise good name has been the marketing gimmick of its business,” the letter states. “The said story is deliberately malicious and was published in a sensational manner designed to attract maximum attention.”
The letter accuses Nation Media Group of failing to adhere to journalistic ethics as outlined in the Second Schedule of the Media Act, 2007, which requires fairness and accuracy in reporting, including obtaining comments from individuals mentioned in an unfavorable context. Willstone claims that the Daily Nation failed to contact them for comment prior to publication, thus breaching ethical and legal standards.
In addition to financial compensation, Willstone Homes demands that Nation Media Group publish a full and unqualified apology on the front page of the Daily Nation on June 5, 2025, in terms approved by the company’s legal counsel. They also demand that NMG “cease and desist from publishing the said story any other day or any other story that may depict our client in bad light.”
The letter, dated June 4 and signed by Nicholas M. Kamwendwa, warns that failure to comply within seven days will result in legal proceedings against Nation Media Group to protect Willstone’s rights and reputation.
As of the time of publication, Nation Media Group has not publicly responded to the allegations or the demands outlined in the letter. The matter is likely to escalate into a significant legal battle, with broader implications for media accountability and corporate reputation