Media groups demand action over rising attacks on journalists
By Faith Lagat, July 15, 2026A coalition of Kenyan media organisations has called for urgent action to protect journalists and hold those responsible for attacks against media workers accountable, warning of a deteriorating press freedom environment ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG), comprising 19 media and civil society organisations, expressed concern over what it described as increasing intimidation, violence and restrictions targeting journalists in Kenya and across the East African region.
The coalition said journalists and media workers have recently faced attacks from state agents, politicians and organised criminal gangs while carrying out their work.
“Kenya has been known to be the pillar of media freedom in the region, and is currently experiencing unprecedented coordinated assault on its media as a strategy by political actors to conceal the truth,” the statement said.
It added: “Journalists have not been spared by goons who have taken over political events. Where are our police? Police must act now to protect our beloved country from sliding into anarchy.”
Attacks on journalists
The coalition said media practitioners are increasingly facing intimidation, self-censorship and violence, describing the trend as a threat to democracy and the public’s right to information.
According to KMSWG, journalists covering political events and public demonstrations have increasingly become targets of organised groups that confiscate equipment and assault reporters to prevent coverage.
“There is an undeniable and dangerous increase in ‘goonism’ across the country, where mobs are deliberately deployed to target frontline journalists, confiscate equipment, and inflict physical harm to prevent the documentation of truth,” the statement said.
The coalition criticised the Ministry of Interior and the national security agencies over what it termed failure to protect journalists.
It also cited the killing of Meru blogger Daniel Muthiani, alias “Sniper,” and called for justice for journalist Catherine Wanjeru Kariuki, who was shot while covering protests in Nakuru.
“Progress in prosecuting trigger-happy officers remains at zero, despite hollow reassurances from officials at public events,” the statement said.
Call for better protection
Beyond state protection, KMSWG also urged media owners and newsroom managers to improve the welfare of journalists assigned to dangerous assignments.
The coalition said journalists covering protests, crime scenes and political events should have comprehensive medical insurance in addition to protective gear.
“Equipping a reporter with merely a helmet and a bulletproof vest, while denying them a health safety net, is akin to signing their death sentence,” the statement said.
It noted that Kenya’s position in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index had dropped from 69th in 2022 to 117th in 2025, reflecting what it described as a worsening operating environment for the media.
Regional concerns
The coalition also expressed solidarity with journalists in Uganda and Tanzania, citing recent restrictions on media operations, including the closure of media houses and internet restrictions during elections.
KMSWG issued five key demands, including expedited investigations into attacks on journalists, a public directive from the Ministry of Interior prohibiting the targeting of journalists by police officers and criminal gangs, compensation for journalists injured while on duty, and a commitment by political leaders to reject violence against the media ahead of the 2027 elections.
The coalition also called on the East African Community leadership to condemn restrictions on media freedom in the region.
Article 19 Eastern Africa echoed the statement in a social media post, saying: “Protecting journalists means protecting the public’s right to know. We join members of the Kenya Media Sector Working Group in expressing grave concern over the worsening environment for journalists & media workers in #Kenya & across #EastAfrica.”
KMSWG, whose members include the Kenya Editors Guild, Kenya Union of Journalists, Media Council of Kenya, Association of Media Women in Kenya and several other media organisations, said the protection of journalists remains essential to safeguarding democracy, access to information and freedom of expression.