NMG photographers attacked, robbed of cash and equipment
Two Nation Media Group photographers lost valuable equipment on Friday night and Saturday morning while on duty covering the results of the presidential elections.
Mr Evans Habil was covering the Jubilee Party celebrations on Friday night along Naivasha Road in Kawangware when two individuals approached him and started harassing him.
“I was taking pictures of the Jubilee celebrations when two people approached me and soon I was surrounded by more than 10 individuals,” said Mr Habil.
He narrated how they tore his backpack and robbed him of a camera worth Sh180,000, mobile phone ATM cards, ID cards, press cards, medical card and a camera lens.
ROUGHED UP
“They roughed me up a little and I can still feel pains on my ribs, but not that much,” he said.
Mr Habil has reported the incidence to Riruta Police Station under OB number 9/12/8/2017.
Another NMG photojournalist, Dennis Onsongo, also lost his equipment on Saturday morning while covering protests in Mathare area, where a 10-year-old girl was reportedly shot dead by police officers.
“I was walking through the crowd to get to the scene of the incident but when I wanted to take out my camera lens, I realized my backpack was open and the lens was missing,” said Onsongo.
Mr Onsongo, who lost a camera lens worth Sh18,000 and Sh2,000 cash, was however not injured.
ATTACKED
Kenya Journalist Union (KUJ) Secretary General Erick Oduor termed the incidents as sad saying the last three days have seen three cases of journalists being attacked.
“What we are seeing are cases of citizens venting their anger and frustrations on journalists and targeting them for no reason,” said Mr Oduor.
Mr Oduor cautioned all journalists urging them to be careful and observe safety when covering dangerous situations.
He wondered why the police officers were not protecting the journalists in the course of their duty adding that he will seek to have the affected journalists compensated by the union members.
