The National Police Service (NPS) Internal Affairs Unit has launched investigations into the arrest and alleged assault of Citizen TV journalist Francis Odee while covering fuel price protests in Nairobi.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 22, NPS Director of Corporate Communication Muchiri Nyaga said the unit had commenced investigations to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident.
The service said it would take appropriate action based on the findings, adding that it would cooperate fully with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which has also opened an independent probe into the journalist’s arrest and brief detention.
NPS reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining professional working relations with the media, describing a free and responsible press as an important partner in promoting public confidence and protecting democratic space.
The service urged the public and media practitioners to remain calm as the investigations proceed, and encouraged anyone with relevant information to report it to the authorities.
The police investigation comes amid growing calls for accountability over Odee’s treatment during the October 20 demonstrations against rising fuel prices in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
The journalist was arrested by plainclothes officers along Kimathi Street despite reportedly identifying himself as a journalist. He was taken to Central Police Station and later released without charge.
Meanwhile, a section of human rights defenders and activists has issued a seven-day ultimatum to IPOA and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), demanding action against officers accused of undermining media freedom.
Led by Odhiambo Ojiro, the group condemned the incident, saying it added to a growing list of attacks against journalists that they claim remain unresolved despite being reported to the authorities.
Addressing the press in Nairobi, the activists warned that continued attacks on media practitioners threatened press freedom and risked undermining the country’s democratic gains.
They called on IPOA and the DPP to act on reported cases of harassment and assault against journalists and urged the government to guarantee the safety of media workers carrying out their duties.
IPOA chairperson Duncan Ojwang’ Oburu has separately confirmed that the authority is investigating Odee’s arrest. The oversight body plans to examine police records and obtain accounts from officers deployed to manage public order during the protests.
The investigations will seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the arrest and determine whether the officers involved complied with the law and established policing procedures.
