Concern over press freedom as journalists attacked at Nyeri Saba Saba coverage

Monday was a sad and chilling day for journalism in Kenya, as journalists once again found themselves on the receiving end of violence while simply doing their job.

What began as routine coverage of the Saba Saba demonstrations in Nyeri quickly turned into a terrifying ordeal for three journalists attacked by individuals posing as protestors.

Kamau Mwangi and James Maina of Royal Media Services, along with Wahu Ngugi from Kameme TV, were caught up in the chaos when an unidentified group charged at them mid-coverage.

Although Kamau escaped with no serious injuries, he was hit on the back with stones. Maina, the cameraman, was slapped forcefully on the neck, while Wahu was shoved to the ground, sustaining injuries to her knees during the scuffle.

“They thought we were filming them, which we were not; we were checking on the closure of businesses in Nyeri. The moment they saw the cameras is when they ran towards where we were standing and they attacked us,” Maina narrated.

With no other option, the three journalists scrambled into a police truck parked just metres away to escape the attackers. According to them, the assailants appeared to have deliberately singled them out.

“Immediately they came, they first grabbed the tripod stand, tripod ilikuwa na Kamau and then they went for the camera which was with James. And when they saw me standing hapo nyuma and then they came running to me. When Kamau saw they were now on my case, Kamau came and shielded me,” Ngugi recounted.

Mwangi added: “And ile pilkapilka ya kujaribu kumuokoa, that is how they landed on me with stones and blows. Quite hurt kwa mgongo lakini si vile sana. It speaks to just how our environment ya kiufanya kazi is not as safe as we would want it.”

The brazen assault ranks among the worst attacks on journalists in Nyeri town, an area that, until now, had not been associated with such hostility toward the press.

“We are very worried because this is a new trend that is forming because journalists are directly targeted by people posing as peaceful protestors,” noted Seth Mwaniki, Chairman of the Nyeri Press Club.

Media practitioners have long raised concerns over the growing hostility toward journalists, particularly during politically charged moments.

Monday’s incident adds to a mounting list of attacks that continue to undermine press freedom.