MOMBASA, Kenya — The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has demanded the immediate release of Mombasa-based journalist Peter Mwita, who was arrested by police over information linking criminal gangs to activities in Kisauni, terming his detention an attack on press freedom.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Council said Mwita, a journalist with the coast-based Alshifaa Media Group, was being held under unclear circumstances following his summons by police to record a statement on December 30, 2025.
He was subsequently arrested on December 31.
“Police are holding him in relation to the authorship of information on the organisation of criminal gangs operating in the Kisauni area in Mombasa County, which was circulated on the WhatsApp platform,” MCK said.
The media regulator said Mwita’s arrest was directly linked to his journalistic work on matters of public interest and warned that such actions risk silencing journalists and discouraging whistleblowers from exposing crime and wrongdoing.
“The arrest of Mwita for journalistic work relating to matters of public interest is a blatant attempt to silence whistleblowers and push journalists into self-censorship,” the Council said. “Police should not misuse or deny other Kenyans’ legitimate rights, including the right to bail.”
MCK called for Mwita’s release on free bond, insisting that holding a journalist in custody over published or circulated information undermines constitutional guarantees and democratic accountability.
The Council further cautioned police against attempting to compel the journalist to disclose his sources, saying such actions would amount to intimidation and a direct violation of professional journalistic standards.
“Any attempt by police to force the journalist to disclose sources or silence him through intimidation would constitute a direct breach of professional standards and a violation of Kenya’s Constitution,” MCK said.
It urged the Inspector General of Police to intervene and ensure officers respect the constitutional boundary between law enforcement and media freedom, particularly when journalists are reporting on issues of public concern, such as crime and security.
The Council reminded both national and county governments that Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution explicitly protect freedom of expression and media freedom.
“These rights are fundamental to a democratic society,” the statement said, adding that the increasing use of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act to target journalists was troubling.
“The use of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act to intimidate and harass journalists is unfortunate,” MCK said.
Mwita’s arrest comes amid growing concern from media rights groups over what they say is an emerging pattern of intimidation, arrests and legal threats against journalists reporting on security, corruption and organised crime in different parts of the country.
