Kenyan police officer. Police boss David Kimaiyo on Wednesday announced
that journalists will be arrested and prosecuted over their coverage of
the Westgate rescue operation. PHOTO | FILE
By Zadock Angira,The Citizen
Posted Friday, October 25 2013 at 08:58
Posted Friday, October 25 2013 at 08:58
In Summary
- Mr Kimaiyo said investigative journalists from KTN are among those to be arrested
Nairobi. Police boss David
Kimaiyo on Wednesday announced that journalists will be arrested and
prosecuted over their coverage of the Westgate rescue operation.
He accused the journalists of “provoking
propaganda” and inciting Kenyans against the authorities with
investigative stories which exposed command confusion during the
operation which saw at least one police officer shot and killed by the
Kenya Defence Forces.
Journalists, both local and international, have
also reported the apparent looting of the Westgate mall by the KDF. The
military however told Parliament that the soldiers were carrying water
in the shopping bags and not looted goods.
The Inspector-General’s announcement is the latest
in a sustained assault on press freedom in Kenya in recent months,
which has seen the tabling in Parliament of bills giving government
control over media operations.
Mr Kimaiyo said investigative journalists from KTN are among those to be arrested.
He appeared to take umbrage at the insinuation
that he was relieved of command during the operation against terrorists
who massacred nearly 70 shoppers at the mall located in Westlands.
At the time, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that Mr Kimaiyo remained in charge of the operation.
However, from around 5pm on Saturday September 21
until the end of the siege four days later, the operation was controlled
by the military. KDF does not take orders from the police.
Mr Kimaiyo’s decision to muzzle the press flies in
the face of the constitution which prohibits the government from
interfering with the media.
Mr Kimaiyo has not filed a complaint with the
Media Council of Kenya, the normal procedure for dealing with cases
where journalists are involved in unethical conduct.
At the press conference on Wednesday, Mr Kimaiyo
said the journalists had “overstepped” press freedom apparently by
reporting the command chaos and looting during the operation.
“You cannot provoke propaganda and incite Kenyans against the authorities” said Mr Kimaiyo.
SOURCE. THE CITIZEN
SOURCE. THE CITIZEN
