By KPC Reporter
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has condemned the violent assault, abduction and harassment of two journalists in Kitale.
The Council warned that the incident reflects a growing threat to press freedom in the country.
In a press statement issued Sunday, the Council described the attack on journalists George Njoroge and Gilbert Sitati as a “direct violation of constitutional provisions and international principles on the protection and promotion of press freedom.”
According to MCK, the journalists were targeted following media coverage of alleged corruption involving a local political figure.
The attack reportedly involved known individuals, raising concerns over impunity.
“The attack was carried out by known individuals following media coverage of alleged corruption,” the Council said, noting that the incident underscores “the level of impunity against journalists in the country.”
Reports indicate that the confrontation began at a political event in Cherangany, where individuals linked to a local leader allegedly assaulted the journalists after one of them shared a news headline on social media.
Abduction, threats and police inaction
MCK detailed the ordeal of Njoroge, who was allegedly assaulted and forcibly removed from a police station where he had sought refuge.
“Allowing a journalist to be dragged from police protection without resistance is a grave institutional failure,” the Council stated.
He was reportedly taken to a nearby forest, threatened, and only rescued after public attention was drawn to the incident.
Sitati, on the other hand, was attacked while filming the incident.
“Documenting matters of public interest is a fundamental journalistic duty, yet he was punished for performing it,” MCK said.
The Council has called for urgent, thorough and impartial investigations, emphasizing that those responsible—including any police officers who failed in their duty—must be held accountable.
“MCK calls for urgent, thorough, and impartial investigations… so that the perpetrators are held accountable,” the statement read.
The incident has also drawn condemnation from media stakeholders, with calls for action directed at the National Police Service and prosecutorial authorities.
The attack adds to a worrying trend of hostility against journalists in Kenya.
Recent data shows that physical assaults, threats and intimidation remain the most common violations faced by media practitioners, despite some decline in arrests.
MCK warned that such incidents are not isolated and risk eroding democratic principles.
“Attacks on journalists are attacks on democracy. Press freedom is non-negotiable,” the Council said.