The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Kenyan authorities to immediately investigate the shooting of journalist Catherine Wanjeri wa Kariuki during Tuesday's anti-government protests.
In a statement, Angela Quintal, CPJ's Africa director, said the shooting of Ms Kariuki was a deeply alarming development in a pattern of violence against journalists covering the protests.
"Kenyan police should be focused on ensuring the safety of journalists, not targeting them with violence or detention, and authorities should act swiftly to hold accountable those responsible," she said.
Ms Kariuki, a reporter for Mediamax Network, was shot three times in the thigh with rubber bullets while covering anti-government protests in Nakuru County.
Veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho
The CPJ statement comes on the day veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho was released after being abducted by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation in what his boss, Mohammed Amin, claimed was a case of 'mistaken identity'.
Video footage of the dramatic arrest showed Mr Gaitho being roughed up by the detectives, who refused to identify themselves, before being taken to Karen police station.
“The shooting of journalist Catherine Wanjeri wa Kariuki as she covered protests in Kenya is a deeply alarming development in a pattern of violence faced by the press covering recent demonstrations,” said Ms Quintal.
The National Police Service (NPS) later clarified that they had confused Macharia Gaitho with a blogger named Francis Gaitho, who is under investigation. The police expressed regret over the incident, emphasizing that they do not target journalists.
They acknowledged the crucial role of the media in promoting accountability and transparency, highlighting the importance of their partnership.
“The service remains committed to working with the media. Today’s incident is highly regrettable,” the service said in a post
Meanwhile, the Association of Media Women in Kenya (Amwik) has condemned police brutality and abductions of journalists covering the nationwide anti-government demonstrations.
They condemned the shooting of Ms Kariuki in Nakuru while covering anti-government demonstrations on Tuesday.
The group also condemned the abduction of Mr Gaitho in Nairobi on Wednesday morning and the other journalists who have faced police brutality since the anti-government protests began.
Addressing journalists at a press briefing in Kilifi, Amwik Executive Director Queenter Mbori called on security agencies to prioritise the protection of journalists and their right to report freely.
“This act of violence is not only a direct attack on Ms Wanjiru but also a blatant assault on freedom of the press, a cornerstone of the Kenyan democracy. Journalists are vital in informing the public and holding power to account and must be allowed to do their jobs without fear of intimidation or violence,” she said.
Ms Mbori was accompanied by AMWIK programme coordinator Ms Lorna Sempele and other media owners in Kilifi.
Amwik called on the police to conduct a thorough and speedy investigation into the incident and bring the perpetrators to book.
Amwik also called on the government to establish clear protocols for media operations to ensure that journalists can carry out their duties without fear of intimidation or violence. “Those engaging in brutality, attacks and harassment of journalists must be held accountable to the full extent of the law,” she added.
Ms Mbori said the safety of journalists was of paramount importance and stressed the need for media organisations to develop safety and security policies to support journalists in their work.
“As Amwik we remain committed to advocating for the safety and protection of journalists in Kenya,” she said.
