Journalists want probe on colleague's killing finalised
Journalists in Kisii County mark the World Press Freedom Day on March 3, 2018. The journalists held a peaceful march through Kisii town, walking 10km to the Kisii University grounds where they planted trees. PHOTO | RUTH MBULA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Peter Kainda Nyaruri worked for Citizen Weekly when he was abducted and killed nine years ago.
- Kisii-based journalists want the probe finalised so that his killer can be brought to justice.
- Journalists said reporters should not be victimised for their work.
Kisii-based journalists have asked the government to finalise investigations into the death of their colleague, Peter Kainda Nyaruri, who was brutally killed by unknown people in 2009.
Speaking after marking the World Press Freedom Day, the journalists led by their chairman Joshua Araka, said the case had dragged on for too long.
Mr Nyaruri who worked for Citizen Weekly was abducted from his home in Nyamira and two weeks later, his decapitated and decomposed body was found in Kodera Forest in Homa Bay County.
"We refuse to accept that Nyaruri's death remains a mystery to date. His killers remain unknown and are probably alive and breathing in this country while Nyaruri's family continues to struggle with life," said Mr Araka.
The journalists, who walked for over 10km around the streets of Kisii town to Kisii University grounds where they planted over 200 trees, said the late Nyaruri was not a criminal.
Chanting songs that castigated attackers of media freedom, the journalists said they are only messengers and should not be victimised.
"He was a law abiding citizen, doing a job protected by the law. The best the government can do to his family is to find and arrest his killers, haul them to court and make them pay for their deeds," he said.
The journalists were later addressed by their guests, among them Kisii University Vice Chancellor John Akama, Kisii County Chief Administrator Geoffrey Mogire and businessman Steve Arika.
