(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 9 December 2000, at least four journalists working for different media houses were injured after police violently dispersed a meeting called by a lobby group, Muungano wa Mageuzi. The meeting was held in Busia town, in the Western Province, near the Kenya-Uganda border. Police in full riot gear beat the journalists, who […]
(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 9 December 2000, at least four journalists working for different media houses were injured after police violently dispersed a meeting called by a lobby group, Muungano wa Mageuzi. The meeting was held in Busia town, in the Western Province, near the Kenya-Uganda border. Police in full riot gear beat the journalists, who were attending to cover the meeting. Four of them were arrested and their films exposed.
Allan Odhiambo and Moses Nyakiti, from the “Daily Nation”, David Ohito, from the Kenya Television Network (KTN), and “East African Standard” photographer Caleb Mukabi were arrested with their drivers and locked up at Busia police station for over two hours. Baraka Karaba, a “Nation” photographer escaped with minor injuries. However, his camera was smashed as police confiscated another camera belonging to freelance photographer Ken Amenya, thereby exposing the film. Mukabi also sustained injuries after he was beaten up by police with clubs and other weapons. The police tore his shirt as they attempted to snatch his camera. The KTN reporter also sustained minor injuries during the attack.
Earlier, the police sealed all the roads leading to the town to stop people and members of the lobby group from holding the rally. On Friday 8 December, President Moi ordered the commissioner of police to ensure that the lobby group does not hold a rally anywhere in the country. He said the group is a revolutionary movement bent on overthrowing the government. This reversed an earlier order by the president to the police not to interfere with the movement’s meeting.
The Kenya-Uganda border was also temporarily closed at the Busia crossing point after police sealed off the area around the venue of the meeting.
