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We must stand up against threats to media freedom
Journalists barred from entering Melvin Jones Hall to cover the Butere Girls' performance of their controversial play 'Echoes of War'.
The unfortunate fiasco surrounding the attempts by security officers to block the play 'Echoes of War' by Butere Girls' High School from being staged during the annual Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama and Film Festival in Nakuru was not only an outright infringement of the students' right to freedom of expression but also a significant threat to freedom of the press as seen in the manner in which journalists were mishandled by the police officers.
It was disheartening to watch members of the press, who were simply doing their job, being forced to scamper for safety as police officers turned their fury on them. The journalists who were covering the altercation between the police and Mr Cleophas Malala, the playwright and director of the contentious play who had been blocked from accessing the students for a rehearsal, were roughed up by the police officers.
Moreover, the journalists were barred from accessing Melvin Jones School where the play was to be staged. The scribes were also not spared when the police officers teargassed the students who had begun protesting their mistreatment.
In the wake of this apparent show of impunity by the police, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen was quick to absolve the police officers from blame and once again resorted to the hackneyed promise of further investigations into the matter.
The police officers could not have acted without the direct command from the top echelons within the security system. The fact that the police officers involved were from Nairobi and Kiambu further lends credence to a well-choreographed and coordinated police operation.
However, this is not the first time journalists have been targeted for doing their work. The country has been witnessing a disturbing trend where journalists are violently mishandled by the security agents leading to injuries and wanton destruction of journalists' property.
It is increasingly becoming apparent that the government - which is hellbent on protecting its image amid its excesses - resorts to interfering with the work of journalists in a bid to censor the information that is consumed by the public.
During last year's Gen Z protests that were triggered by the 2024 Finance Bill, journalists were targeted in an attempt to block them from airing the events.
Just last month, at least four journalists were attacked by General Service Unit (GSU) officers when they were covering the riots that had broken out in Majengo area of Nairobi after a boy was fatally shot by a police officer attached to the Majengo police station.
Whenever these attacks on journalists happen, the National Police Service is quick to give statements denying intentional attacks and committing to carrying out investigations. Unfortunately, no action is ever taken.
Besides the physical attacks, attempts to gag the media have also been manifested through threats to withdraw government advertisements from media houses. The intended aim is to limit revenue streams for the media houses.
It is a reality that since President Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza government came to power, Kenyans have continually lamented about a plethora of pertinent issues that have gone contrary to their expectations. From the increased cost of living due to increased taxes, extravagance in government, dysfunctional Social Health Authority, poor capitation in schools, and controversial funding model in universities to the recent spate of abductions and forced disappearances not to mention police brutality during the Gen Z protests, Kenyans are discontented with the state of affairs in the country.
We must all jealously guard press freedom as it is one of the anchors of our fledgling democracy.
The writer is a teacher of English. [email protected]
