Two Nakuru journalists are currently recovering from injuries sustained when they were attacked by General Service Unit (GSU) police officers while covering protests in Molo.

Standard media reporter Daniel Chege and videographer Peter Kimani were covering demonstrations along the Molo-Elburgon road where residents were protesting the killing of an activist on Saturday night.

According to Chege, he and his colleagues had packed their car on the side of the road to cover the demonstration when a GSU officer approached their car and asked who they were.

Despite identifying themselves as journalists and showing their work IDs, the officers ruffed them up.

General Service Unit officers, dispersing Molo residents who were protesting the death of activist Richard Otieno who was killed on Saturday January 18, 2025.

Photo credit: Purity Kinuthia/Mtaa Wangu

"We were attacked by two GSU officers while filming them confronting protesters who had blocked the road and burned car tyres to protest the killing of activist Richard Otieno yesterday. I am currently nursing injuries to my hand after being beaten by the officers who were armed with batons," he said.

His shirt was also torn during the confrontation.

The protests took a turn for the worse when angry residents stormed Elburgon Hospital, took the body of the deceased and proceeded to Molo MP Kimani Kuria's residence before GSU officers intervened.

Molo residents protest the death of activist Richard Otieno along the Molo – Elburgon road. Otieno was murdered on January 18, 2025.

Photo credit: Purity Kinuthia/Mtaa Wangu

Nakuru Journalist Association (NJA) chairman Joseph Openda condemned the use of force by police against a journalist in the line of duty.

In a statement issued by Mr Openda, he says: "The Nakuru Journalists Association strongly condemns the unwarranted assault on journalists by police officers during a protest in Elburgon, Molo Sub-county on Sunday January 19, 2025. Our attention is drawn to the disturbing incident where journalists covering a peaceful protest demanding justice for the late activist Richard Otieno were harassed and assaulted by GSU officers in Turi."

Molo residents block the road protesting the death of activist Richard Otieno who was murdered on January 18, 2025.

Photo credit: Purity Kinuthia/Mtaa Wangu

Mr Openda notes that in addition to tear-gassing the protesters, the officers also targeted journalists who were documenting the event.

"As an association, we call on the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs to thoroughly investigate this matter and take immediate action against the officers involved. Such behaviour undermines the role of the media in promoting accountability and democracy," he says.

In June last year, Media Max journalist Catherine Wanjeri was shot three times in the thigh while covering anti-government protests.

Standard media journalists assaulted by police during Molo protests

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