Abducted Standard Group editor found safe near Masinga Dam in Machakos

Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich has been found safe after spending nine hours in the hands of armed men who abducted him along the Gilgil-Nakuru Road.

A video shared by the Standard Group shows masked, armed men trailing and blocking Kiprotich's vehicle before dragging him away.

The video captured a vehicle blocking the road with doors open and lights on as the men dragged him out.

“Nimefanya nini (what have I done),” a voice believed to be Mr Kiprotich is heard asking.

On Wednesday morning, the media house reported that Mr Kiprotich was dumped near Masinga Dam after being held overnight in an abduction that has raised fresh concerns over the safety of journalists in Kenya.

The senior editor was seized shortly before 9.20pm on Monday while travelling to Nakuru, according to a statement by the Standard Group.

His whereabouts remained unknown for hours, triggering calls for his immediate release and raising fears for his safety.

In a statement, Standard Group CEO Chaacha Mwita said Mr Kiprotich was located by Standard Group team at around 6.30am near Masinga Dam, after being dumped by his captors in the early hours of the morning.

According to Mr Mwita, Mr Kiprotich had sought refuge with a nearby family, who took him in and cared for him; however, he was understandably shaken by his ordeal when they found him.

“We thank everyone who mobilised through the night to search for him, prayed for him, and stood with this Group and his family through an anxious few hours - including the household that opened its doors to him. The circumstances of Mr Kiprotich's abduction remain deeply troubling, and we will continue to press for full accountability. We will share further information as it becomes available. For now, we are simply grateful that Alex is safe,” read part of the statement

When reached for a comment, Nakuru County police commander Samwel Boit, said they have not received any formal complaints from the Standard nor Mr Kiprotich.

“We are not aware of the incident. We have not received any formal report,” he said in a phone interview.

Nakuru Journalist Association has called for a swift, transparent and independent investigation into the two incidents, all those responsible to be identified and held accountable.

Through its chairperson Mr Joseph Openda, the association condemned the incident saying that the safety of journalists should be treated as of national importance.

Mr Openda said that no journalist should be abducted, threatened, assaulted or intimidated for carrying out their professional duties.

According to Mr Openda, a media environment where journalists work in fear undermines press freedom, public accountability and the public's right to information.

"We urge the security agencies and other relevant authorities to take concrete steps to protect journalists,investigate attacks against them and ensure that perpetrators do ot enjoy impunity even as we head  towards the 2027 General Election. NJA stands in solidarity with Alex,his colleagues at Standard Group in Nakuru and Journalist across the country," said Mr Openda.

Earlier attempted abduction

The abduction came just over two months after an earlier attempt to seize him.

On June 27, armed men travelling in a Toyota Probox allegedly tried to force Mr Kiprotich out of his car as he drove to work in Nakuru.

He escaped by locking his doors and driving away.

The Standard Group claimed the vehicle used in that incident had been traced to the National Police Service's Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau.

No one has been held accountable for the June incident, the media company said.

The Standard Group said the two incidents could not be treated as unrelated.

“We do not believe this is a coincidence. Mr Kiprotich has been at the forefront of our editorial output, including reporting that has scrutinised the conduct of the State, and tonight's abduction bears all the hallmarks of a targeted attack on a journalist for doing his job,” the company said, describing the latest incident as a targeted attack on a journalist for doing his job.

The media house also placed responsibility for Mr Kiprotich's safety on the State, demanding that his abductors release him immediately and unconditionally.

The company called for a prompt, transparent and independent investigation into the abduction and the earlier attempt to seize him.

It also demanded guarantees that journalists would be protected while carrying out their work.

The incident has once again put the spotlight on the safety of journalists, particularly those covering sensitive political and government issues.

The Standard Group said the abduction was not merely an attack on an individual journalist but also threatened freedom of expression and the media.

It invoked Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution, which protect freedom of expression and media freedom.

 “We believe it may be linked to elements within the State seeking to intimidate this Group into silence. If that is confirmed, this is not simply a crime against one man. It is an assault on the Constitution of Kenya, on the freedoms of expression and of the media guaranteed under Articles 33 and 34, and on the right of every Kenyan to independent information,” the statement said.

The company called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Law Society of Kenya, Media Council of Kenya and Committee to Protect Journalists to push for answers.

It said it would continue updating the public on the matter and would not allow the incident to disappear without accountability.

Mr Kiprotich's safe recovery brings relief after a tense night, but questions over who abducted him, why he was targeted and whether the attack was connected to the earlier attempt remain unanswered.

The June incident had already raised alarm over his safety.

Monday night's abduction has now intensified those concerns, with the Standard Group demanding that the circumstances surrounding both incidents be fully investigated.

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