The events of June 25, 2024, when protesters stormed Parliament Buildings in pursuit of MPs who voted to support the Finance Bill have left an indelible mark in my history of journalism.
It was the third most serious siege I have been caught up in my more than 12 years on this grind, only that this time my compatriots were honourable members.
AN ORDINARY DAY
The day started ordinarily, albeit for the long winding path we had to take to access the premises as police mounted various barricades around the block.
After talking my way in, I settled to follow the debates on the amendments to the bill, amid a hail of gunshots and loud bangs of security artillery.
All was well until after MPs finished the vote – which was taken manually, and the majority approved the bill.
As members of the opposition and those who had voted no sought to address the press, word went around that a huge crowd was approaching Parliament.
PANDEMONIUM
Together with my colleague Luke Awich, we moved to the main entrance where a body had been dumped by protesters.
As we were collecting information about what happened to the young lad whose face was already covered, pandemonium struck.
The youths had torn down the fence at the side where Jomo Kenyatta’s mausoleum sits and menacingly charged towards the premises.
Anti-riot police, apparently overwhelmed by the numbers, called in reinforcement.
The officers, mostly with AK-47s, repulsed the protesters.
By this time, they had gained entry several metres inside the parliamentary gardens forcing us to retreat for safe cover.
EVERYBODY IN THE TUNNEL
We charged to the east side of the square – leaving behind our property which was at the media centre, and were led to the recently completed tunnel.
Everyone was bundled to the tunnel. It was like a scene straight from a horror movie.
Every face you looked at resonated with the tense moments at the otherwise safe hidden in plain sight.
Several MPs, especially those who voted yes, were shaken to the core.
Some of their colleagues who had opposed the bill gave them the ‘I told you so’ line at every available opportunity.
For a moment, there was pin-drop silence and for the better part, people were busy on their phones.
Those who missed seats took spaces on the staircases.
Some were not accompanied by their bodyguards.
Cops who had escorted us to the tunnel insisted that we stay put as any movement would have alerted the protesters of the escape routes.
Some MPs hung around the lobby as others sought refuge in their colleagues’ offices.
It went for an hour or so before people started to find their way out of the tunnel.
We used the same route to pick up our items and luckily found the media centre untouched –yet the protesters looted the dining hall situated less than 50 meters away.
As equality reigned, the common goal being how to stay safe, and how to get out of the premises unscathed.
