Journalists attacked, equipment stolen in Homa Bay political violence

On Sunday morning, AFP journalists Fred Ooko and Brian Ongoro set off from Kisumu for Homa Bay to cover a Linda Mwananchi political rally. They would soon become part of the story they had gone to report.

The two boarded a matatu at about 6am carrying cameras, phones and other equipment for the assignment. They arrived in Homa Bay Town about two hours later, only to find the town largely deserted amid heightened political tension.

As they searched for a motorbike to move around, they encountered armed youths who had barricaded the Homa Bay-Kendu Bay road.

The journalists said the group attacked them with crude weapons, leaving them injured and taking some of their equipment and personal belongings. Mr Ooko said he was dragged along the road and beaten with clubs.

“I was dragged on the road as goons beat me with clubs. My colleague Brian Ongoro was also beaten. He lost his phone and camera. My licence, press card and other assorted items were taken,” he said.

A boda boda rider who knew Mr Ooko intervened and helped him escape to Olare.

“I was in so much pain when I heard someone calling my name. He was a boda boda rider friend and he drove me to Olare for safety,” he said.

For some time, Mr Ooko did not know what had happened to his colleague.

He later learnt that Mr Ongoro had been taken to a police station after being assisted by Nation Media Group journalist George Odiwuor.

Mr Ongoro, who had lost his phone, encountered Mr Odiwuor in Homa Bay Town while running for safety.

Mr Ooko later met the Nation Media Group team in Olare and asked to be taken to where his colleague was, but roadblocks made it impossible to travel through the main routes.

The two journalists suffered soft-tissue injuries and lost money and equipment. They were later forced to find an alternative route back to Kisumu.

The attack on the AFP journalists was not an isolated incident. A Nation Media Group team travelling with the Linda Mwananchi convoy towards Nyandiwa also encountered a roadblock before Ndhiwa, where youths had blocked the road.

Journalists from NMG were also waylaid at Kodongo junction on the Mbita-Homa bay route and the company vehicle was pelted with stones. Another vehicle was torched by the goons.

The Nation photographer Alex Odhiambo said their driver was forced to divert to a different route to try and find a safer alternative route back to Kisumu.

Police used tear gas to disperse the group while several vehicles were pelted with stones.

Journalists who attempted to film the confrontation were forced to put away their equipment and take shelter inside their vehicle.

The violence has triggered condemnation from media organisations and human rights groups, with concern growing over the safety of journalists as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Kenya Editors Guild President Zubeidah Kananu said the attack on the AFP journalists was an attempt to intimidate the media through violence.

“These are not scenes that belong in a constitutional democracy. They are acts of intimidation intended to instill fear and silence journalists performing a legitimate public duty. The safety of journalists and the protection of media freedom must therefore be treated as an urgent national priority,” Ms Kananu said.

She said journalists are protected under Article 34 of the Constitution and should be able to work without intimidation, harassment or violence.

Ms Kananu called on Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja to ensure the incidents are independently and transparently investigated.

She said those responsible, regardless of their political affiliation, should be identified, arrested and prosecuted.

“Kenya cannot claim to be committed to free, fair and transparent elections while journalists are attacked for documenting events in the public interest,” she said.

The Homa Bay assault comes a month after journalists covering the Ol Kalou by-election in Nyandarua County reported being attacked and having their equipment confiscated.

On July 16, armed and masked men assaulted Nation Media Group journalist Brygettes Ngana and her cameraperson and took away their camera.

The Star photojournalist Enos Teche was also assaulted while covering a confrontation between residents and occupants of three vehicles.

According to the Media Council of Kenya, Mr Teche was physically assaulted and had his equipment taken. He sustained a hand injury and later recorded a statement with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Ol Kalou.

In a statement issued on July 16, the Media Council of Kenya said such incidents risked intimidating journalists into censorship and fear.

It called for those responsible to be identified, the confiscated equipment returned and the attacks investigated.

The Kenya Media Sector Working Group, a coalition of media organisations, warned in June that media freedom was deteriorating as Kenya moved towards the 2027 General Election.

The group called for accountability for attacks on journalists and urged the police and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to speed up investigations into previous incidents.

Amnesty International Kenya also condemned Sunday's violence in Homa Bay, expressing concern over attacks on journalists, disruption of media broadcasts, destruction of property and road blockades.

“We are deeply alarmed by reports that hired mobs targeted accommodation facilities suspected to be hosting Linda Mwananchi leaders or their supporters,” Amnesty Executive Director George Morara said.

The organisation also questioned whether security agencies had done enough to prevent the violence and protect those affected.

Amnesty said the incidents threatened constitutional rights, including freedom of expression, media freedom, access to information and freedom of movement.

“The State has a clear constitutional and legal obligation to protect all persons without discrimination,” the organisation said.

It called for prompt, independent and transparent investigations into the reported attacks and said those responsible, whether private individuals, political actors or public officials, should be held accountable.

Amnesty also called for an independent review of the conduct of security agencies to establish whether there were failures to prevent violence, protect those affected or uphold constitutional rights.

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