The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has denounced the shooting of Mediamax journalist Catherine Wanjeri, who was covering demonstrations in Nakuru on Tuesday. MCK CEO David Omwoyo described the incident as both shameful and terrifying.
“The shooting of Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki, a journalist attached to Kameme TV, while in the company of other journalists and the police is shameful and terrifying,” he said.
Omwoyo called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to expedite investigations and bring charges against the officers involved.
He emphasized the importance of journalists in holding critical institutions accountable. Three people, including a journalist from Kameme radio and TV, were shot during the anti-government protests in Nakuru.
Other journalists at the scene reported that Catherine Wanjeri was shot three times in the thigh and taken to a private hospital for treatment. A doctor at the facility confirmed that she had been shot three times in the thighs.
Witnesses claimed that police allegedly shot at the female journalist despite her being clearly marked with a press card and jacket. The second person was shot in the leg, and the third was shot in the back as police engaged protesters in running battles.
Earlier in the morning, a protester was critically injured after being hit on the head by a stone aimed at the police. Business in the busy town came to a standstill as protesters and police played hide-and-seek along Kenyatta Avenue, with the protesters regrouping and chanting every time they were dispersed.
