The Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG) has issued an update on the number of journalists that were injured during the Tuesday, June 25, 2024, anti-Finance Bill protests.
The KMSWG in a statement has condemned the violence meted by the police on the journalists who were covering the protests.
“The Kenya Media Sector Working Group, a coalition of media entities in Kenya, shocked beyond comfort over unprecedented violence police today meted on journalists who were deployed by media houses to inform Kenya about countrywide protests against Finance Bill 2024,” the statement reads in part.
Media shutdown
KMSWG in the statement also condemned the government’s threats to shut down one of the media houses, KTN.
“To add salt to the injury, the government threatened to shut down KTN in frantic effort to enforce information darkness,” the statement reads.
The decision to shut down the media house was termed as a joke.
“In 2024 where citizens are spoilt for choice when consuming news, the threat to shut down media houses is not only a joke but an insult to the intelligence of Kenyans,” the statement reads in part.
In the statement, the media says one journalist sustained a gunshot wound while tens of others were targeted by the police.
The media reiterated that the police are obligated to protect the journalists during protests.
“One journalist suffered a gunshot injury while tens of others were targeted by police who were dispersing protestors. Police have an obligation to protect journalists under the Geneva Convention when men and women of the Fourth Estate are deployed to work in hostile environments,” the media said.
Journalists injured
AFP journalist Collins Olunga and Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) photographer John Omido are some of the journalists who sustained injuries during the protests.
Olunga was shot by the police while Omido was sprayed with water mixed with harmful chemicals meant to disperse protesters.
Olunga was rushed to Aga Khan Hospital where he was admitted.
“Just to mention a few cases, police shot Collins Olunga, a journalist with AFP in Nairobi and sprayed Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) photographer John Omido with water mixed with harmful chemicals meant to disperse protesters. Mr Olunga was admitted to a Nairobi hospital,” KMSWG said.
Other journalists who were affected are.
- Standard Media‘s Justus Mwangi who was roughed up by the police, bundled into a police vehicle, and thrown off the speeding vehicle during the Tuesday, June 18, 2024 protests.
- Nation Media Group‘s Maureen Muthoni who was injured by the police and arrested during the Tuesday, June 18, 2024 protests.
- Voice of America‘s Mohammed Yusuf who was obstructed by the police on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
- AFP‘s Collins Olunga who was shot and wounded in Tuesday, June 25, 2024 protests.
- KBC‘s John Omido who was sprayed with water mixed dangerous chemicals and had his Equipment destroyed during the Tuesday, June 25, 2024 protests.
The Kenya Red Cross has also issued a statement condemning attacks on their staff by the protesters.
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