The rising cases of attacks on journalists present a serious threat to democracy and freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution and international charters.
Over the past year, more than 50 cases were reported of journalists assaulted, threatened and humiliated by resentful elements, mainly politicians incensed by media reports about them.
The latest case was reported this week in Migori, where a Nation reporter was harangued and humiliated by sidekicks of Governor Okoth Obado for allegedly writing negative reports about the county chief.
Mr Obado, who is out of police custody on bond, was charged with the murder of a female university student, which matter is pending in court.
Just Friday, Gatundu South legislator Moses Kuria was arrested by police over an alleged offence committed within the precincts of Royal Media Services last month.
The belligerent MP is accused of battering a woman with whom he had shared a TV panel discussion, apparently because she had embarrassed him by asking uncomfortable questions.
This is petrifying and presents a new dimension to the threat against media freedoms.
It means that television and radio panellists and discussants as well as news sources are in dire threat, just like journalists, from individuals who have been subjected to public scrutiny.
What is galling is that most cases of violence and threats against journalists are never acted upon.
Whereas the media and the public expect stern action against those harassing and intimidating journalists, nothing is ever done.
The attacks are consistently reported to the police and other relevant authorities, but we hardly see any action. It seems nobody cares about the safety of journalists.
The worst hit are reporters working in the counties, who are easy targets of politicians and their allies, when they file reports about those thieving and cantankerous governors.
Press and information freedoms are protected in the Constitution. Media houses, on their own, have policies and systems to guarantee quality reporting.
Journalists too have a code of ethics. Institutions exist, such as the Complaints Commission under the Media Council of Kenya, whose mandate is to arbitrate between journalists and news sources when a dispute occurs over reportage.
Better still, there are courts to deal with defamation. But individuals should not take the law into their hands to terrorise journalists ostensibly to stop them from doing their work.
We condemn those acts of aggression and demand investigations and prosecution of those assaulting journalists. Press freedoms must be protected at all times.
Credit: Source link