Court stops Makini School PTA chairman from defaming institution

A dispute between Makini School and a parent over the expulsion of his children has taken a new twist after the court stopped him from defaming the institution.

Milimani court principal magistrate S.A Opande issued the order stopping Nixon Bugo, who is the school's Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) chairman, from posting any defamatory statements about the institution and its director Horace Mpanza.

"An injunction is hereby issued stopping the respondent from posting or making any statement or utterances whatsoever regarding the school and its director pending hearing and determination of the dispute," ruled Opande.

The school filed the application against Bugo a day after it was ordered to re-admit his two children expelled from the institution due to his conduct.

The institution in its application claimed that Bugo called a virtual PTA meeting on July 8 which was attended by over 100 parents and made derogatory statements against the school and its directors to lower its reputation.

According to the institution in their suit filed through O&M Advocates, the PTA chairman incited the parents against the school owners and teachers by alleging that they had no regard for their children.

Intimidate parents

"He falsely told the parents that Mr Mpanza, the school's director, had a gun he uses to intimidate parents and teachers and that he smokes openly in front of their children. His claims were meant to mean that the school is irresponsible and does not care for their children," said the law firm.

The fresh application has escalated the dispute between the school and Bugo after his two children through their mother sued the institution for expelling them due to their father's activities.

According to the mother, the minors were removed from class and handed termination letters on July 7 by the head teacher Catherine Njuguna who then ordered them to wait for their parents at the pickup shade.

According to the parents, their trouble started after raising questions about Mpanza who they accused of carrying a firearm to school, smoking within the institution in the presence of learners and erecting a smoking zone within the school.

But Mpanza in his response stated that the school's relationship with the minor's parents was purely contractual and that it could be terminated by either party if any of them breached the rules and regulations.

Antagonistic behaviour

"The minor's father began what evolved to become a pattern of antagonistic behaviour towards Makini Schools which was tantamount to harassment and intimidation and cause increasing strain on the contractual relationship," sore Mpanza.

He swore that while the school has exercised restraint while responding to his continuous false and malicious allegations, the father continued to malign and defame the school through various mediums which makes it difficult to readmit his children.

He alleged that the father's antagonism escalated to the extent of defamation and character assassination and false allegations about the institution.

He added that the father was illegally in office as PTA chairman having served for three years and instead of using the position to hold the school resorted to splitting the PTA and creating factions.

The defamation suit is scheduled for hearing on August 2.