Janet Mbugua gives her verdict on viral videos leaked by Russian man
By Charles Ouma, February 20, 2026Renowned media personality Janet Mbugua has given her take on the viral video leaked by a Russian man who recorded his escapades with several African women.
Through her social media account on Friday, February 20, 2026, Mbugua released a lengthy statement in which she unpacked how the scandal unfolded, what could have been done differently and outlined actions that need to be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
She made it clear that the Russian man needs to be held fully responsible for recording and sharing without consent.
“A perpetrator recorded and shared images of Kenyan women without their consent, and we watched it unfold in real time. We opened, shared and talked about them. Then we blamed the women. What was she doing? Why did she agree? And only after all that… we got angry. But by then, the harm had already travelled,” She stated.
Mbugua: Outrage alone is not enough
The journalist noted that outrage alone is not enough and challenged what she referred to as a system that questions victims before questioning perpetrators.
“So let’s be honest with each other for a second: Where do we sit in this? Outrage after the fact… is not enough!! It never has been,” she added.
She cited several cases of gender-based violence, including those where the victims were minors both locally and internationally, noting that in cases where justice was served, it came much later.
“Different stories. Same system. A system that questions victims before it questions perpetrators. That protects power before it protects people. Where wealth and status can delay justice, or bend it entirely,” she said.
Challenging the system
She called for a paradigm shift, noting that the current approach makes justice feel negotiated while the harm is immediate.
“Harm is immediate. Justice feels negotiated. We MUST start demanding more, loudly and consistently, from systems that keep failing people,” she stated.
Underscoring the need for immediate action, Mbugua noted that those who fail to play their part are enablers of a system that is tearing many lives apart.
“Because if we don’t interrupt it, then honestly… we are part of what keeps it going. Until then, we’re enabling a sick system, and too many lives are being torn apart,” the journalist added.