• Members of the fourth estate have over the past few days been on the receiving end of both police and goons as they covered the mass demonstrations.
• MCK said six journalists were seriously injured on Thursday when protesters were viciously repulsed by police in Eambakasi South.
Image: SCREEN GRAB
The US government has expressed concern over the growing cases of attacks against journalists in Kenya while in their line of duty.
It follows Thursday's vicious attack on journalists as they covered the Azimio la Umoja mass protests called by the outfit's leader Raila Odinga to condemn State excesses and high cost of living.
"The United States is deeply concerned by recent reports of attacks against journalists. Protecting press freedom and safety is a cornerstone of democracy," Whitman said in a statement on Twitter.
Members of the fourth estate have over the past few days been on the receiving end of both police and goons as they covered the mass demonstrations.
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK), the sector regulator, said in a statement on Thursday it has so far documented 25 cases of harassment, attacks and arrests against local and foreign pressmen since the onset of the mass action on March 20.
Chief executive officer David Omwoyo said majority of those targeted are cameramen and photojournalists "who have been targeted by the perpetrators of acts of hooliganism and criminality whose interest is to destroy any evidence of their acts captured on camera."
“Journalists are not contestants in the current political processes and it is unwarranted, gross violation of human rights and impediment to democracy to target them, while knowing they have a duty to inform the public on such matters of public interest,” Omwoyo said.
MCK said six journalists were seriously injured on Thursday when protesters were viciously repulsed by police in Eambakasi South.
Omwoyo said on Monday, March 27, the Council documented 20 cases of attacks against journalists.
Several journalists were assaulted, their vehicles vandalised and their phones and equipment stolen by goons in various parts of the city.
"March 2023 remains the darkest month for Kenyan media since the clamour for multiparty democracy," Omwoyo said.
The growing attacks on members of the media has caused uproar across the country with those condemning the acts terming it an affront to press freedom.
Law Society of Kenya President Eric Theuri termed it barberic, repulsive and retrogressive.
"It's obvious media spotlight is preventing the police from using brutal force on protesters, hence intimidation of media. IG police should take responsibility. He has failed in his responsibility," Theuri said.
In a statement on March 27, the Association of Media Women in Kenya Executive Director Patience Nyange termed the attacks a violation of human rights.
She said a free and objective media is an essential component of democracy as it allows journalists to fulfil their crucial role as sources of objective and unbiased information to society.
"Therefore, the attacks on journalists today are a violation of human rights, curtail public access to information and lead to the erosion of press freedom," Nyange added.
She called on the police to exercise their mandatory duty of providing security to journalists and ensure their safety without threats and violence in their course of duty.