Citizen TV journalist Ben Kirui narrowly escaped injury after a tear gas canister struck and shattered a part of his helmet during nationwide protests in Nairobi.
The reporter, who was covering demonstrations marking the first anniversary of the Gen Z-led June 25, 2024, protests, stated that the canister was deliberately aimed at him.
“It was directly aimed at me,” Kirui told fellow journalists at the scene.
Fortunately, the protective helmet absorbed the impact, preventing any physical harm.
The shattered helmet bore the mark of where the canister landed.
Kirui was among several journalists deployed across the capital to report on the protests, which drew thousands of demonstrators demanding reforms in governance and accountability.
The incident has revived concerns over the safety of journalists in Kenya, especially during public demonstrations.
It also evoked painful memories of a similar incident in 2024, when Mediamax Limited journalist Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki was shot while covering anti-government protests in Nakuru on July 16.
Kariuki, who was identifiable in a bright yellow vest labelled “PRESS,” was shot three times in the leg while standing outside a bank.
She was rushed to Valley Hospital by colleagues.
In a statement following the incident, Mediamax condemned the attack, calling it a targeted assault on press freedom and a deliberate attempt to silence independent journalism.
The media house demanded a full investigation and accountability for the police officer responsible.
"Journalists must be free to report without fear of being targeted or harmed,” Mediamax said in its statement.
The Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) also condemned both incidents, calling for urgent action to protect media practitioners.
Following Kariuki’s shooting, dozens of journalists staged a peaceful protest through Nakuru’s streets, carrying banners with slogans such as “Journalism isn’t a crime” and “Don’t kill the messenger.”
