Kimani’s arrest came amidst several journalists being targeted by police during the protests.
Veteran journalist Sarah Kimani was on Tuesday, June 18 arrested outside Nation Centre in Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), joining hundreds of Kenyans arrested during the ongoing protests.
A photo seen by Viral Tea showed Kimani bundled into a police truck, which was caught in a video speeding off, down Kenyatta Avenue.
In 2022, Kimani announced her departure from the newsroom after a stellar career spanning 20 years. On November 2 of that year, she penned an emotional letter recounting her journey in the media profession which began at the Nation Media Group (NMG).
An image of veteran journalist Sarah Kimani. /SARAH KIMANI
“In these 20 years, I have stood on the shoulders of giants both at home and abroad. Some I have met, and some I just wanted to be so much like them.
“I also have had a great audience, supportive but also very knowledgeable so there was no room for mediocrity,” Kimani wrote.
However, she noted that she would be telling stories and would pursue a new niche of reporting.Â
“I will continue to be a journalist only this time focusing more on human rights. I will also continue to throw in our usual Kenyans on Twitter (KOT) jokes,” Kimani wrote.
According to her resume, the multi-media journalist began her career as a news reporter at the NMG in July 2001. She spent five years, including a spell at NTV Uganda.
Kimani was promoted to Features Editor before she moved to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) as the East African Correspondent. She recently landed a job at Amnesty International as a media manager, to lead the Media desk in the East Africa and Great Lakes region.
Kimani’s arrest came amidst several journalists being targeted by police during the protests. Maureen Mureithi a cameraperson at NTV was on Tuesday injured while covering the ongoing protests, with Mureithi reportedly hit with a police water cannon along Cardinal Otunga Street.
The media practitioner was rushed to the hospital as a demonstration over the Finance Bill 2024 escalated.
Besides the cameraperson, other journalists who were on duty in the CBD were harassed by police officers patrolling the streets.