Kidero condemns attack on journalists as unions warn of blackout

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has told his rivals to ‘attack’ him and spare journalists covering his events in the city.

Dr Kidero was reacting to Wednesday’s incident where journalists and their driver were attacked in Dandora during his tour of the area.

On Thursday, as he addressed residents of Kabarage slum in Kangemi, condemned the attack which left one reporter with a deep cut on her head saying such actions were archaic and primitive.

Instead, he said, his rivals should train their guns on him by telling Nairobi residents how better they are than him to lead the capital.

"These are innocent young men and women who are reporting the truth. They are very important people in the society," he said.

"This is how we ended taking people to The Hague. We don't want violence like what happened in 2008," he added.

The ODM leader further cautioned his supporters against retaliating saying he stands for peaceful politics pegged on respect for others and differences based on ideologies.

According to him, it was immoral for leaders to dish out handouts to jobless youths to cause chaos during rivals’ rallies which he said was recipe for violence for the youths do not think of other ways of income.

He called upon those doing campaign ensure the safety of journalists and that they are not caught in the middle of their battle for seats.

Three Mediamax journalists who were on Dr Kidero’s convoy on Wednesday were attacked and hurt by hooligans in Dandora after they were stoned.

Ms Sarah Ndungu, Charles Mathai and Patrick Kimanthi had just covered the Governor's event at Friends Secondary School Dandora.

The incident has drawn the ire of journalists who have condemned attacks on journalists warning of even more vicious attacks as the electioneering period nears should such incidents go unstopped.

Political Journalists Association of Kenya (PJAK) and Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) have called on IEBC to punish politicians and individuals found guilty of targeting journalists.

“As an association of political journalists in Kenya we are concerned that there is a new affront on political journalists and their lives are now more at risk as we head to the General Election,”.

“The public must understand that journalists are merely messengers in the long process of news making and that they should be protected and treated with decorum,” said Isaac Ongiri PJAK chairperson.

They also want the government, through the Media Council to come up with guidelines on how to protect the journalists during political functions.

KUJ pointed fingers at a politician believed to be Dr Kidero’s rival for the attack.

“We wish to inform politicians that any violence against journalists shall not be tolerated. KUJ will seek legal redress against such primitive acts and will launch campaigns for media blackouts against politicians using violence on the messengers as their campaign tools,” said KUJ secretary-general Erick Oduor.