Journalists protest, demand prosecution of rogue police officers

Kenyan journalists are demanding accountability over the illegal shootings, beatings, abductions, and harassment of their colleagues during the country-wide anti-government protests.

On Wednesday, the journalists presented their grievances, including an end to media censorship and unrestricted access to information, at the Office of the Inspector General of Police, the National Assembly, and the Ministry of Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy.

Prior to camping at the offices, they marched around the Central Business District, where they called for respect for their work and an end to police mishandling.

"We delivered the petition to the police headquarters and went up to other government agencies where journalists have been receiving restricted access to information. Parliament is one of them. There can be no parliament without the media. In fact, the word fourth estate was coined in parliament, and therefore journalists must be allowed to work from the media centre in parliament and conduct interviews within parliament's precincts," Kenya Union of Journalists Secretary General Eric Oduor said.

He also called on President William Ruto to fire the Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy's Principal Secretary, Prof Edward Kisiangani, as he reorganises his government in line with protesters' demands for accountability.

"We need a better PS who can sit and listen to us so that we can be able to address issues such as policy and legislation and have a strong media," Oduor added.

Editors Guild Chairperson Zubeida Kananu questioned why no officer has been prosecuted for the harm inflicted on journalists during the protest period.

Stephen Letoo: We are telling wetang'ula to stop banning journalists from covering parliament proceedings, we have a body that we fall as journalists that are leading us today, if our grievances and petitions forwarded today are not implemented, we are coming back to the streets… pic.twitter.com/yOEvHeyn18

— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) July 24, 2024

Some of the journalists harassed by the police during the protest period include Kameme TV Reporter Catherine Wanjeri, who was shot in the thigh, Hanifa Adan from The Eastleigh Voice, who was arrested and frustrated online in coordinated cyberbullying attacks and K24s Joel Chacha who was hot by a tear gas canister on the leg.

Others are Veteran Nation Media Group (NMG) journalist Macharia Gaitho, who was abducted before the police apologised and termed his arrest a mistaken identity, Collins Olunga from Agence France-Presse (AFP), Justus Mwangi from the Standard, and Hafsa Hassan also from The Eastleigh Voice.

"Why are they (rogue officers) being shielded, why is there no action taken against them? We want action taken against them now," Kananu demanded.

Threats to media freedom, she emphasised, manifest in the forms of arrests and detention, physical attacks, threats of violence, impunity, and media shutdowns, amongst others.

Six days ago, Communication Authority Director General, David Mugonyi, in a letter to newsrooms, cautioned media houses against broadcasting content surrounding the ongoing anti-government protests, claiming it's a violation of the constitution.

In the letter, he claimed that while Articles 33(1) and 34(1) of the Constitution of Kenya guarantee freedom of expression and media independence, the said rights do not extend to "propaganda for war, incitement to violence, hate speech, or advocacy of hatred."

"Recent protests and ensuing violence, loss of lives, and destruction of property have highlighted instances where licenced media entities have compromised objectivity and balance in the reporting of crime, security operations, and/or crisis situations. The Authority further noted with concern that some media entities aired images of dead and/or seriously wounded people without censoring or blurring out the images," the letter added, with a further caution to media houses to refrain from perpetuating violence that could lead to widespread civil unrest.

In response, Citizen TV's Senior Reporter Seth Olale reminded the government that access to information is a constitutional right and therefore should not be abused.

"Access to information is a constitutional right and we have a duty to give that information to the public," he said.

Isiolo journalists condemn police brutality, demand officers behind attacks and shooting of journalists be arrested and prosecuted. pic.twitter.com/dSs9eGgdfA

— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) July 24, 2024

Other actions demanded by journalists included the prosecution of rogue police officers who have committed crimes against journalists and protesters, as well as an assurance by the state of the safety and security of all journalists working in the country in the wake of brazen threats issued by state organs and officers.

They also want an end to veiled threats from the Communications Authority and other state agencies, which they said have created panic thereby limiting media freedom.

The members of the press further called for the gazettement of all duly recruited members of the Media Complaints Commission and assurances that the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy will cease interfering with the independence of media institutions.

Also demanded is the immediate payment of pending bills owed to media houses, the scrapping of the Government Advertising Agency and the use of state advertisement to stifle media independence.

The journalists drawn from all leading and upcoming media houses caused a stir at the CBD with their loud calls for respect for media freedom, an avenue for democracy in the country.

Both serving and retired journalists joined the hundreds that turned up for the peaceful protest that kicked off around 10 am and ended early in the afternoon across the three cities of Nairobi, Kisumu, and Mombasa.

Members of various journalists' associations also took the opportunity to demand better pay and enhanced welfare from their employers.