The Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) has announced plans for a nationwide Journalists protest following the abduction of journalist Macharia Gaitho on Wednesday, July 17.
Despite police claims that the incident was a case of mistaken identity, the media community has rejected this explanation, insisting it was a deliberate act of intimidation.
Addressing the press shortly after Gaitho’s release, the association expressed its determination to continue delivering credible news amid rising tensions.
“We must warn that we are going to be louder. We are going to give credible news despite what is going around,” the Kenya Editors Guild President Zubeida Kananu stated.
KEG to Organize Nationwide Protest
The association also declared its intention to organize a nationwide protest.
“You can’t call this a mistaken identity, we will announce a day for a nationwide protest, we are not criminals” she added.
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Macharia Gaitho who was with KEG also recounted the harrowing experience following his release.
“We went to Karen Police Station to look for help, then two cars followed us, and they forced me inside a white Probox,” Gaitho said.
“I was sandwiched between two men in civilian clothes, handcuffed and assaulted. They were demanding to know why I was resisting arrest,” he added.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among journalists and the general public, raising concerns about press freedom and safety in Kenya.
Ongoing Journalists Protest
Many journalists have expressed solidarity with Gaitho, vowing to stand firm against any attempts to silence the media.
Meanwhile, journalists in Nakuru and Kiambu county staged a protest on Wednesday, July 17, condemning the shooting of their colleague, Catherine Kariuki, during anti-government demonstrations in Nakuru town.
Kariuki, a reporter for Kameme FM and TV was shot by security forces while covering the protest on Tuesday.
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Journalists gathered holding placards and chanting slogans denouncing violence against the press to demand accountability and a thorough investigation into the shooting for those responsible.
Police on Gaitho’s Arrest
The National Police Service has issued a statement clarifying the arrest of renowned journalist Macharia Gaitho, attributing the incident to a case of mistaken identity.
In the early hours of Wednesday July 17, Gaitho was apprehended by police officers in what was initially believed to be an abduction.
However, the police quickly discovered that Gaitho was not the intended target of their investigation. The real subject, identified as Francis Gaitho, remains under scrutiny by law enforcement.
“The National Police Service would like to clarify to the public that this morning, we arrested journalist Macharia Gaitho in a case of mistaken identity, meant for the arrest of Francis Gaitho who is our subject of investigation,” the police statement read.
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