• Omwoyo further commented on the arrest of scribes as they covered the Wednesday protests.
• He said it was a "ridiculous" thing to do but thanked the police for releasing the journalists.
Image: MEDIA COUNCIL OF KENYA/ TWITTER
The Media Council of Kenya has condemned the move by security officers to impersonate journalists during protests so as to arrest participants.
MCK CEO David Omwoyo termed this as unprofessional misconduct by the officers.
"Impersonation of journalists by the police is a grave unprofessional misconduct on the part of the police and endangering the lives of journalists in the line of duty," he said.
Omwoyo further commented on the arrest of scribes as they covered the Wednesday protests.
He said it was a "ridiculous" thing to do but thanked the police for releasing the journalists.
He noted that the duties of journalists which are protected by the Constitution under Articles 33, 34 and 35 should be respected by everyone.
Article 33 is on the Freedom of Expression, Article 34 deals with Freedom of The Media while Article 35 is on Access to Information.
Article 34 (2) states:
"The State shall not exercise control over or interfere with any person engaged in broadcasting, the production or circulation of any publication or the dissemination of information by any medium; or penalise any person for any opinion or view or the content of any broadcast, publication or dissemination."
Also commenting on the impersonation, the Kenya Union of Journalists it was illegal.
"Police officers impersonating journalists compromises their safety and security while on duty. It is extremely illegal," KUJ said.
In one of the incidences of impersonation, a video circulating on social media shows a man who was filming protests in Mathare suddenly arresting one of the protesters.
The man who is in plain clothes is seen standing near the crowd, filming using a phone before he grabs one of the demonstrators and escorts to a waiting police lorry.
Reports indicate that he was a police officer.