The Kenya Media Sector Working Group has raised alarm over increasing attacks on journalists, warning that press freedom is facing growing threats as political activity ahead of the 2027 General Election gathers pace.
The umbrella body, which brings together leading media associations in the country, said journalists in Kenya and across the East African region are increasingly being exposed to intimidation, harassment and violence while carrying out their work.
It urged the government to uphold the rule of law and protect media freedom as guaranteed under Article 34 of the Constitution.
The concerns were raised during a press conference in Nairobi on Wednesday, where officials from the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) and the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) said the safety of journalists continues to deteriorate as political tensions rise.
KUJ Secretary-General Erick Oduor said Kenya, which has long been recognised for promoting media freedom in the region, is now witnessing increasing attempts to silence journalists.
“Kenya has long been regarded as a pillar of media freedom in the region, but it is now experiencing an unprecedented assault on the media as political actors seek to conceal the truth,” KUJ Secretary-General Erick Oduor said.
He said journalists across East Africa are increasingly facing threats from state agencies, politicians and organised criminal groups, making it harder for them to report freely and independently.
“The media is a critical player in any political process and truth is sacred in the work journalists do to serve the public interest. An attack on a journalist is a direct assault on media freedom, democracy and the public’s fundamental right to know,” he said.
Oduor said the region is also experiencing growing cases of intimidation, self-censorship, failure to punish those behind attacks on journalists and disregard for the rule of law.
The media organisations also expressed concern over the use of hired goons at political events, saying journalists have increasingly become targets even when police officers are present.
“There is an undeniable and dangerous rise in goonism across the country, where mobs are deliberately deployed to target frontline journalists, confiscate their equipment and inflict physical harm in order to prevent documentation of the truth,” Oduor said.
The lobby challenged security agencies to take firm action against those behind attacks on journalists and ensure media practitioners can carry out their work without fear, intimidation or violence.
The organisations also noted that several journalists have been injured and lost work equipment while covering demonstrations under the period of a compensation programme. They pointed to the 2024 Gen Z protests against the Finance Bill, during which several journalists were injured while reporting from demonstrations across the country.
AMWIK Executive Director Queenter Mbori and Kenya Editors Guild Chief Executive Officer Linda Bach called for greater accountability from both the government and media owners.
They said protecting press freedom requires a joint effort from state agencies, media houses and organisations representing journalists to safeguard media practitioners and uphold the public's constitutional right to access information.