Media lawyer William Oketch, AMWIK Executive Director Queenter Mbori, Kenya Union of Journalists Secretary General Eric Oduor, and Kenya Editors Guild CEO Linda Bach during a Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG) press briefing on media freedom and the safety of journalists in Nairobi on July 15, 2026/Handout

The Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG) has condemned the reported abduction of Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich, warning that the incident represents a serious threat to press freedom in Kenya.

Following the incident, KMSWG said it should not be treated as an isolated criminal matter, cautioning that it could have wider implications for press freedom and the safety of journalists.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the media sector lobby said it was relieved that Kiprotich had been found safe but maintained that the incident raised serious concerns over the safety of media practitioners in the country.

“A line has been crossed: press freedom will not be silenced by terror,” the group said.

The organisation described the incident as a “calculated, heavy-handed signal” intended to instil fear within the Kenyan media fraternity and force journalists and newsrooms into self-censorship.

The group said the incident was particularly concerning as the country moves towards the 2027 general election, a period when media organisations are expected to play a critical role in scrutinising political actors and informing voters.

“As the country steadily moves toward the 2027 election season, the strategy behind these attacks is an attempt to render newsrooms compliant before high-stakes political scrutiny begins,” KMSWG said.

It vowed that efforts to intimidate journalists would not deter the media from carrying out its watchdog role.

"These scare tactics represent a coordinated effort to force self-censorship and silence critical reporting at a time when the public needs objective truth most," the statement said.

“The Kenya Media Sector Working Group declares today that this strategy will fail. We are on high alert, fully mobilised, and steadfast in our commitment to defend every media practitioner across this country."

KMSWG also linked the latest incident to previous attacks on journalists during the Ol Kalou constituency by-election, stressing that it had raised concerns over the safety of reporters during a press conference in July.

The group cited the assault of The Star reporter Enos Teche and Nation Media Group journalist Brygettes Ngana, who it said were assaulted, held at gunpoint and robbed of their equipment by armed plainclothes officers and hired goons.

KMSWG said it had warned the government that failure to arrest and prosecute those responsible could embolden further attacks against journalists.

“Our warnings were ignored, our demands met with deafening silence, and today, that culture of impunity has metastasized into highway abductions of newsroom leaders,” the group said.

The media lobby invoked constitutional protections, including Article 33 on freedom of expression and Article 34, which guarantees media independence.

It also cited Article 29, which protects every person’s right to freedom and security of the person and safeguards against arbitrary detention and cruel or degrading treatment.

KMSWG demanded an immediate, transparent and independent investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) over the incident.

It further called for accountability, including an investigation into the command structures that may have been responsible.

“To our fellow editors, reporters, and broadcasters across the nation, do not put down your pens, and do not mute your microphones. We will leverage every legal, constitutional, and international mechanism available to protect our newsrooms, because power must be held to account, and the truth cannot be abducted,” it said in conclusion.