The Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) has condemned the arrest and alleged assault of Citizen TV journalist Francis Odee by police officers while covering demonstrations over fuel price hikes in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
Odee was reporting on peaceful demonstrations and a press conference along Kimathi Street when officers allegedly manhandled him, bundled him into a police vehicle and took him to Central Police Station.
According to the Guild, the journalist was identifiable as an accredited media professional and sustained injuries during the incident.
Odee has since been released following public outcry, but KEG maintains that his release does not erase the circumstances surrounding his arrest or the need for accountability.
The Guild said the incident raises concerns over the safety of journalists covering matters of public interest and warned against the targeting of media workers by law enforcement officers.
KEG argued that such actions undermine press freedom and the constitutional protections afforded to journalists carrying out their professional duties.
The Guild has called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the National Police Service (NPS) to launch immediate investigations into the incident and establish the circumstances surrounding Odee’s arrest and alleged assault.
It has also demanded an official apology from the Inspector General of Police, alongside assurances that journalists will be protected while covering public events.
The Guild further urged police to end the profiling, harassment and arbitrary detention of accredited media professionals, warning that such practices threaten the media’s ability to report freely on issues affecting the public.
