Journalists in Nakuru peacefully protested and condemned the shooting of their colleague who was reporting on demonstrations witnessed in several parts of the country. The journalists condemned police brutality committed against them while in the line of duty. During the anti-government protests, some journalists were shot by the police, resulting in injuries.
Nakuru journalists staged a protest demanding that the officer who shot Mediamax journalist Wanjeri wa Kariuki be arrested and prosecuted. They marched to Nakuru Central Police Station, demanding justice for Kariuki, who was shot three times in the thigh with rubber bullets.
The harassment of journalists came at a time when veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho was harassed and arrested. The Daily Nation journalist sped to the police station upon realizing he was being trailed. Gaitho thought he would be shielded from individuals in civilian attire, but surprisingly, the trailers entered the police premises. They roughed him up, handcuffed him, and forced him into a private car before whisking him away.
Gaitho was later released after various phone calls. He was driven back to the police station where he was freed. The DCI apologized for the mistaken arrest, claiming they had confused Macharia Gaitho with Francis Gaitho. “It is me they were looking for,” the veteran journalist said, suggesting that his attempted abduction was due to his work as a media personnel.
The Media Council of Kenya condemned the targeting of journalists by the police. The Media Council of Kenya CEO labeled the police’s actions as shameful and embarrassing. David Omwoyo called upon the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to launch an investigation into the rogue police officer who shot Wanjeri wa Kariuki. Omwoyo emphasized that the injured journalist was wearing a press jacket and press tag at the time of the shooting.
Despite the DCI’s statement that they were not targeting journalists, Omwoyo insisted that the institution be held accountable for the violence committed against journalists
