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Journalists across the country have started demonstrations to protest against police brutality towards members of the press during their coverage of the ongoing anti-government protests.

The protest comes days after Catherine Kariuki, a Radio/TV reporter with Media Max, was shot three times in the thigh while covering protests in Nakuru last Tuesday.

Journalist challenges

Kariuki is among several journalists who have faced issues with the police, leading to demonstrations in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Eldoret.

In Mombasa, journalists marched to the central police station to present their grievances. Sammy Mwaura from Pwani FM urged the government to protect journalists.

He revealed that one journalist was hit by a teargas canister on Tuesday and that unknown individuals were photographing journalists covering the protests.

“My message to the government is that it should stop threatening journalists and give them a chance to do their work. It is shocking that in this century and with the constitution that we have, journalists fear doing their coverage. We condemn recent incidents where the police have threatened and even shot some journalists. The government should protect us as we work to provide information to the public without fear,” Mwaura stated.

In Nairobi, journalists from different media houses turned up in numbers, holding placards with messages such as ‘Shoot not the messenger’, ‘We are not criminals’, and ‘Journalists’ lives matter’.

Journalists at Jogoo House

They visited the Jogoo House and the Parliament building to air their grievances.

Their demands include press freedom, safety and security, unrestricted access to information, prosecution of violent police, an end to communication authority threats, and a stop to media censorship.

The journalists are also calling for the gazetting of all media complaints commissioners, the payment of money owed to media houses, and for the state to stop using government advertisements to fight the media.

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