From batons to bullets and bans: Media paid for reporting the truth

When tragedy or disaster strikes, when joy prevails or when unusual events occur, journalists jump to action and work around the clock to factually inform Kenyans fast.

Previously, all the media personnel needed to worry about was beating deadlines, taking good photographs and videos, doing great interviews and reporting to the high standards.

However, a new threat appeared on the face of field reporters during the June 2024 anti-finance bill nationwide protests by Generation Z. The trend would resurface for the better part of 2025 as law enforcement targeted journalists.

On July 16, 2024, Kameme TV reporter Catherine Wanjeri was shot four times by the police as she was covering the protests in Nakuru city.

“The police targeted me and had warned us. They threatened to disperse us from the streets and a few minutes later I was shot,” said Wanjeri.

Human rights organizations, media regulators and Kenyans rallied behind journalists.

The government promised the same would never happen again and maintained that serious actions would be taken against the police responsible.

With the hopes that the same would be addressed, journalists returned to the streets to cover protests. Instead of the threats capsizing, they turned worse.

This year, the press freedom guaranteed under Article 34 of the constitution was violated to the extreme.

Journalists not only worry about reporting but have to worry about being attacked, teargassed, threatened or abducted.

They turned from storytellers to being at the centre of stories of oppression, pain and fight for justice.

On January 19, officers of the General Service Unit (GSU) assaulted me (Chege) near Molo town, as I covered a protest following the killing of Molo activist Richard Otieno.

The officers who were deployed to disperse the protesters fired teargas at the protestors and attacked us when they noticed we were covering the protests.

One officer first hit KTN’s cameraman Peter Kimani with his baton after he noticed that Kimani had filmed them throwing stones at the protestors.

They then made their way to the co-driver’s seat where they hit me with their baton injuring my left hand. They tore my shirt, demanding an explanation as to why we were recording the protests.

“We don’t want the media here. Leave!” one officer shouted as he attempted to pull me out of the vehicle.

Despite attempting to calm them down and identifying ourselves, we had to drive for safety.

Nakuru Journalists Association (NJA), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) condemned the unjustified attack.

“The police provoked the journalists, who were harmless and helpless,” KUJ Secretary General Eric Charles Oduor said.

On March 5, four journalists were brutally attacked by the police while covering demonstrations in Majengo, Nairobi.

The unrest erupted on March 4 evening after a 17-year-old teenager died during a police operation.

That morning, journalists from NTV witnessed police violently assaulting Justine Ondieki, a photojournalist with the Eastleigh Voice.

As soon as NTV cameraperson Leah Wambui began filming the incident, an officer from GSU forced open the passenger door of the vehicle she was in, dragged her out, assaulted her and forced her to delete the footage.

Dennis Onsongo, a photojournalist with NTV, was slapped by the police as he tried to help his colleague.

Enos Teche, a photojournalist with The Star Newspaper, who was just a few meters from the journalists' vehicle, was barred from taking photos of the scene.

Ondieki was then detained for hours in a police vehicle. his camera was damaged, confiscated and its contents erased. He was hospitalized.

National Police Service (NPS) spokesman Muchiri Nyaga condemned the attack and promised that legal actions would be taken against the culprits.

The Kenya Editors’ Guild termed the incident a “primitive attack” on journalists. Zubeidah Kananu, the President said police continued to disregard the role of journalists.

“Despite numerous engagements with authorities to foster an appreciation for journalists’ work, the police continue to deliberately target, injure, and intimidate them,” she said.

Twenty-eight days later, four journalists and a medical officer were attacked by the management of a private hospital in Homa Bay County while on duty.

Sub-County Medical Officer Ben Otieno, said the hospital had been shut down for failing to meet the required standards to operate as a health facility.

Things turned brutal and shocking on April 10, as screams, loud bangs, choking teargas smoke, and chaos featured on live television broadcast during the 9pm News.

Six journalists across various media houses were injured at Kirobon High School in Nakuru County as they filmed police blocking former UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala from meeting Butere Girls High School’s drama team.

“Let us run for safety, they have thrown teargas at us in the night!” shouted Kennedy Gachuhi, a KTN reporter.

A teargas canister exploded behind NTV reporter Ruth Sarmoei, who at the time, was live on air.

Citizen TV’s Maryanne Nyambura was hit on her lower back as she was reporting live.

“I was assaulted while working. The police kept pushing me. I was traumatized,” she said.

Sarmoei said they sensed danger but did not expect the police to turn chaotic at night.

Other injured journalists included Standard Group’s photographer Joseph Kipsang, who was pushed into a ditch and his camera was vandalized. Caroline Chebet of the Standard was also injured. 

Malala, the playwright of ‘Echoes of War’ wanted to prepare the girls for performance at the National Drama and Film Festivals the following day.

The brutality continued on April 11, as police teargassed Butere girls’ students and journalists, in a bid to stop them from performing.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen apologised and said serious actions would be taken against those responsible.

“It is regrettable and I apologise. It’s not the intention of the government to attack or hurt any journalist,” said Murkomen.

Despite the promises, no action was taken and more miseries befell journalists.

On June 1, during the Madaraka Day celebrations, four journalists were assaulted by police, and robbed at Raila Odinga’s stadium in Homa Bay.

KTN’s producer Steve Okedi, Marble Achieng and George Odiwuor of NTV and Ephantus Maina, a journalist with Royal Media Services suffered brutal assault despite identifying themselves.

Odiwuor lost his laptop and mobile phone while two other journalists were robbed of their equipment by unidentified assailants.

Owing to the stress endured by the journalists, over 30 NJA members in Nakuru underwent wellness and expressive therapy sessions on June 22.

They were engaged in physical exercises, games, team building and brainstorming exercises as a way of freeing their mind from their routine jobs.

Wanjeri said the session was timely as Kenya geared towards planned Gen Z protests on June 25, an anniversary to the June 25, 2024 anti-finance bill protest.

On June 25, at least five journalists were injured; Sarmwei was hit by a rubber bullet in Nakuru and Citizen TV Reporter Ben Kirui escaped serious injuries after the police lobbed teargas, hitting his helmet.

Standard’s David Gichuru was wounded by a stray stone hurled by a protester along Thika Road. Other demonstrators reportedly attacked two other journalists.

The Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) also banned live coverage of the Gen Z protests.

“All television and radio stations are ordered to stop any live coverage of the demonstrations or face regulatory action,” read the communication.

Social media was also blocked, including Telegram Messaging application. Organizations, including the Kenya Editors' Guild challenged the ban, citing a court ruling that said CA had no constitutional mandate to enforce media standards.

During Saba Saba’s commemoration on July 7, three journalists were attacked and harassed in Nyeri, by individuals posing as demonstrators.

Royal Media’s Kamau Mwangi and James Maina, alongside Kameme TV’s Wahu Ngugi, were assaulted with stones while covering the demonstrations.

The three were forced to flee for safety with Nyeri Press Club chairman Seth Mwaniki condemning the incident.

“This is not just an attack on individual journalists, but an attack on press freedom itself,” Mwaniki said.

The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) called on security agencies to ensure the safety of journalists as they carry out their professional duties.

On August 21, 2025, reporters from Citizen, KTN and TV47 were violently attacked while covering the return of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

The reporters lost their valuables and vehicles ferrying them were vandalized during the chaos.

Citizen TV’s Willy Ogunga who suffered head injuries after being struck with stones at Kabanas area.

“We found ourselves in the middle of chaotic scenes between goons of opposing sides and I saw darkness before I fell and bled,” he said.

Habil Onyango, a journalist with People Daily, was on September 17, abducted and viciously assaulted by thugs allegedly hired by a senior Human Resource Officer at the Homa Bay County government.

The attack allegedly was in retaliation following Onyango’s investigative reporting on a fraudulent employment scandal.

MCK said Onyango was lured to a hotel in Homa Bay, ambushed, and beaten by the county official, following which he sustained facial injuries.

He was allegedly forced to inhale bhang, had his equipment confiscated, and had his data deleted.

In response, the county announced the dismissal of the HR officer in the Department of Roads, Transport, and Public Works.

Despite the reactions from MCK, NJA, Interior Ministry, among others, no police officer has been charged with cases pending since 2024 not resolved yet.

“I am waiting for justice. I was shot in 2024 but to date no one has been arrested and investigation is dragging,” said Wanjeri.