NAIROBI, Kenya – The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has condemned the assault and exclusion of journalists during this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations and a separate State House media briefing, terming the incidents a violation of press freedom and an alarming trend targeting media professionals.
In a statement issued Sunday, the Council expressed concern over the mistreatment of several journalists at Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay County, where national Madaraka Day celebrations were held.
Journalists covering the event were subjected to physical assault, harassment, and denial of access despite displaying valid media accreditation.
Among those assaulted were Ephantus Maina of Royal Media Services, Mable Achieng’ of Nation Media Group, TV47 camera operator Francis Kakai, and journalist Elizabeth Mutuku.
Some sustained injuries requiring medical attention from Red Cross staff, while others lost phones, laptops, and equipment to opportunistic theft during the chaos.
“Media personnel were forced to plead for access and were not guaranteed a safe exit after the event,” the MCK noted, adding that the actions not only compromised journalists’ safety but also undermined their constitutional right to report freely.
In a separate incident on May 31, two KTN journalists, Rashid Iddi and Okumu Madocha, were denied entry to a joint media briefing at State House Nairobi, hosted by President William Ruto and visiting Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar.
Their names were missing from the list of accredited reporters, and attempts to seek clarification from State House officials went unanswered.
MCK decried the growing trend of what it termed “deliberate targeting and gatekeeping” of media professionals at government events, warning that such actions not only erode media freedom but also amount to economic sabotage in an era of competitive media content creation.
The Council urged government agencies and event organizers to uphold the rights of journalists and take immediate steps to ensure their safety and fair treatment at all public events.
The Media Council called on responsible authorities to adopt reconciliatory measures and restore confidence in the working relationship between the government and the media.
