Kisumu officers teargas journalists covering anti-IEBC demos
A protester threatens police with a sling and a stone during anti-IEBC demonstration in Kisumu County on October 9, 2017. Anti-riot police officers lobbed teargas at journalists who were covering the protests. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- About 20 officers from the General Service Unit of police mobbed Mr Rashid Ronald of KTN and Faith Matete of Star at the Kisumu Boys High School Round about.
- They lobbed teargas canisters at NTV’s Ouko Okusa, his cameraperson Doreen Magak and Daily Nation reporter Rushdie Oudia.
- The anti-riot officers on Monday claimed journalists had exposed the work of the police to ridicule.
Five Kisumu journalists were harassed, beaten and injured by police while covering the anti-IEBC demos Monday.
About 20 officers from the General Service Unit mobbed Rashid Ronald of KTN and Faith Matete of the Star near Kisumu Boys High School.
The officers clobbered Mr Ronald, injuring him on the leg.
While beating him, they said Kisumu journalists were not any special than protesters on the street.
LOBBED TEARGAS
The officers then lobbed teargas canisters at NTV’s Ouko Okusa, his cameraperson Doreen Magak and Daily Nation reporter Rushdie Oudia.
The protests had largely unaffected journalists since they began three weeks ago.
But the anti-riot officers on Monday claimed journalists had exposed the work of the police to ridicule.
Earlier, rioters had also harassed motorists, extorting money from them and forcing the police to disperse them with teargas.
