Save for her exciting allegations of sexual trysts with the mighty in Kenya,revealed to the Parliamentary probe into the death of Robert Ouko, Marianne Brinner is not likely to have impinged much on the Kenyan consciousness.

The old dame however does not go quietly into the night. She is back in our space, this time embroiled in a steamy saga with famous Kenyan journalist Jeff Koinange formerly of the Atlanta based CNN news network.

According to Mr. Koinange, his May 2007 departure from CNN was occasioned by a video report he put out on rebels in Nigeria's Niger Delta. The videos, which depicted Koinange surrounded by masked gunmen in speed boats are alleged by the Nigerian government to have been staged. It is this that Koinange says discomfited the broadcaster's lawyers so much that the company felt it had to let go of one of its most successful journalists. His explanation may be right, but it does not preclude the effect of lengthy but damning set of emails passed between him and Marianne Brinner on his official email address which was monitored by the media group.

After an alleged date rape, Marianne Brinner came out fighting and has embarrassed the famous journalist by revealing the contents of all the emails exchanged between them on her personal blog . The emails detail their consensual arrangement of a romantic meeting in London. The romance however, was not to be and the meeting turned tragic. As the 66 year old Ms Brinner's emails chronicle, the two had been in a passionate relationship, one that went so far as Ms Brinner entertaining the married Koinange's plot to have a child by her daughter.

Jeff Koinange; Après le déluge

The end effect of all the drama has been the 29^th of May, 2007 end of Koinange's lengthy stay at CNN, for whom he reported from right across the continent, witnessing first hand not just the troubles in Nigeria, but also the plight of Darfur's millions, the US war on Iraq, wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia as well as the famine in Niger for which he won an Emmy award.

Koinange must now be reflecting on his future, with his prospects as a world journalist irredeemably sullied. He has been on the record declaring his regret about letting down his wife, and all those people who wished him well and supported him. Still it is odd that he like many others in a similar situation did not see it coming. Whatever the truth is in this case, it is undeniable that Koinange actively contributed to the events that culminated in his loss of face under the public glare. The motivation behind his dalliance is unknown, an Oedipal complex perhaps, he had been married previously to an older woman in the USA but it is astounding considering that play outside the marital arrangement is so obviously a raking of fire into ones own bosom. Sadly, the illusion that one will not get caught leads many down this very treacherous path.

What damns Koinange, regardless of what happened in the hotel room, is the length and energy expended by both parties in an illicit and immoral online relationship that culminated in the date on the 20^th of February, 2007. Whatever transpired later, the two parties certainly had something planned with Koinange attending the date in casual wear, a no-no for the plush London hotel that insisted on an adherence to a strict dress code. Similarly, the matronly Ms Brinner did by her own admission retire to her hotel room, seeking to get herself into more comfortable clothes and surrendering her extra hotel room pass to Koinange.

The soon to be father in Koinange must be kicking himself, especially given that as a reporter he should have been aware of Ms Brinner meticulous ways displayed in her submission of evidence to the Gor Sunguh led Parliamentary Commission into the death of former Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Ouko. In her submissions, Ms Brinner had put on show a painstaking attention to detail especially with regard to her affairs with prominent persons. These symptoms would scream one would hope that she was a woman keen on details, and given to manipulation and power brokerage. This should have put Koinange on guard that he would not get away with his secret liasion and that Ms Brinner was one ambitious woman, unafraid of trouble and eager to tell her story, come what may especially when asserting herself with regards to her sexual liaisons.

This cynical view of Ms Brinner's is reinforced by the fact that she did not inform the authorities of the alleged rape, but conveniently kept quiet and continued correspondence with Koinange, all the while detailing his admissions before dropping the bomb on him. I would not want to deny that she may in truth be the victim here and I sympathize with her predicament. However, her modus operandi raises serious questions as to her true intentions with the hapless Jeff Koinange.

As was the case with US President Bill Clinton, Jeff Koinange and many more should serve as a reminder to the married class. Sweet as it may be, forbidden fruit remains just that -forbidden!