NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) has condemned a violent assault on journalists covering the homecoming of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing police of failing to protect members of the press.
Reporters and crew from The Standard Group, TV47, and Citizen TV were attacked during the event, with assailants allegedly roughing them up, stealing equipment, and vandalising vehicles.
KEG described the assault as part of a disturbing pattern of coordinated attempts to silence journalists.
“This was not an accident,” said KEG President Zubeidah Kananu in a statement on Friday. “The growing frequency, brazenness, and coordination of these attacks point to a systematic effort to intimidate and silence the media.”
The editors’ body demanded:
- Immediate arrests and prosecution of those behind the attack.
- Personal accountability from Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja over officers’ failure to intervene.
- Concrete guarantees from the state to safeguard journalists against violence and intimidation.
KEG said it has repeatedly raised concerns about impunity in cases of violence against journalists, warning that failure to act could push Kenya into “a culture where press freedom is trampled and impunity thrives.”
“Journalists will not be silenced. The truth will not be buried under fists, boots, guns, or threats. The press will not retreat,” Kananu asserted.
The guild now says the state risks being exposed “not as a guardian of democracy and freedoms, but as an enabler of lawlessness and oppression” if it does not take urgent action.
The attack adds to a string of recent incidents targeting journalists during political events and demonstrations, fueling growing concern over media safety and freedom of expression in Kenya.
