The Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) has condemned the shooting of Kameme TV reporter Catherine Wanjeri wa Kariuki.
Wanjeri was shot in her thigh three times as she covered the anti-government protests in Nakuru on Tuesday, July 16, 2024.
KUJ, in a statement released and signed by its secretary general Erick Oduor, has not only condemned the police for targeting journalists but has also demanded an action be taken against the police.
“Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) condemns in the strongest terms possible, the shooting of a journalist during the anti-government protests in Nakuru. Catherine Kariuki of Mediamax Limited is nursing a gunshot injury at a Nakuru hospital after she was shot by a rogue police officer, in what her colleagues said was a targeted attack.
“We demand action against the trigger-happy police officer who targeted journalists who had been deployed by media houses to inform Kenyans. Such barbaric acts have no place in a democratic society like Kenya, where journalists are required to play the role of watchdog and source of credible information to citizens,” the statement, released on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, read in part.
Should the Independent Policing Oversight (IPOA) fail to take action, the scribes’ union has vowed to initiate a private prosecution against the police officer involved together with his bosses in Nakuru.
“The Independent Policing Oversight (IPOA) must investigate the officer involved and the source of orders to shoot journalists within seven days and prosecute the suspect, failure to which we will institute private prosecution of the officer involved and the commander of the Nakuru operation,” the statement added.
After she was injured, Wanjeri was taken to Valley Hospital in Nakuru where she is being attended to and she is set for an operation.
Imanyara condemns police
Meanwhile, former Member of Parliament, Gitobu Imanyara, is among the public figures who have come out to condemn the police for injuring Wanjeri. Imanyara, a firebrand activist during President Daniel Arap Moi’s reign, said the shooting of the journalist constitutes a war crime.
“Mediamax Limited journalist Catherine Wanjeri has been shot by police in Nakuru while covering the anti-government protest. The shooting of K24 journalist Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki by police in Nakuru while covering the anti-government protest constitutes a war crime.
“These are the levels we have now sunk to,” the former Imenti Central MP said in a post on X on Tuesday, July 16, 2024.