Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has apologised to journalists injured while covering political events, saying security agencies must work closely with media houses to ensure reporters are protected during rallies and other gatherings.
Murkomen said he was particularly saddened by the journalists who were injured while covering political activities in Homa Bay.
He said journalists cannot be prevented from covering political events because their role requires them to report incidents as they happen.
“I want to apologise to the media in instances where the police were unable to protect you during some of these rallies and political instances. I was very saddened by the journalists who were injured in Homa Bay. That was really very sad,” Murkomen said.
“You cannot tell journalists not to cover. You can't even tell them to go home, because they have to cover every incident, even when the people are going home.”
Murkomen urged the Inspector General of Police, Deputy Inspector General and other security officials to coordinate with media houses and take into account the position of journalists when deploying officers to political gatherings.
He also called on journalists to exercise responsibility in their reporting, particularly when covering statements by public officials, warning against using clips without the wider context.
“The DIG, the IG and the team must work closely with the media houses to see how best we can protect journalists. To journalists, you must contextualise. You must put the context in place,” Murkomen said.
“When people are talking about good things, about the good of the country, usually it never gets the space. But very small stories, and then cutting some statements. When you go and cut my speech in a small clip without the context, and then you start saying the minister said, if you know that there will be criminals in a particular place, rally, you should not go.”
Murkomen made the remarks during the launch of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission's roadmap towards a violence-free 2027 General Election, dubbed ‘Uchaguzi Bila Noma’.
On August 16, two journalists were injured in Homa Bay town as tensions rose during the Linda Mwananchi rally in the region.
The journalists were reportedly dragged along the road and beaten with clubs before a boda boda rider intervened and helped them.
The two journalists reported the incident at Homa Bay Police Station.
