ODM apologises to clobbered K24 cameraman
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has apologised to a journalist who was assaulted and his recording equipment destroyed while covering a political rally in Budalang’i.
Moses Masinde, a K24 cameraman, was on Wednesday beaten and injured by youths in ODM party leader Raila Odinga’s convoy at Port Victoria in Busia County.
Other than his damaged camera, Mr Masinde also lost Sh10, 000 and a phone which was later recovered by the police.
On Thursday, ODM director of communication Philip Etale in a statement apologised to Mr Masinde.
“On behalf of the ODM party and the party leader, I apologise for the incident. Freedom of the press is what every journalist is expected to enjoy unconditionally and we shall do everything to ensure that media personnel covering our events are protected from such incidences,” Mr Etale said in the statement.
TAPE DESTROYED
Mr Etale added that he would take up the matter with his boss and further requested for photo evidence of the incident.
“For action to be taken, I request any journalist with a photo or video showing the faces of the said ‘security’ men to produce it for easy identification,” he added.
In a complaint to ODM and the Media Council of Kenya, K24 had stated that the tape inside the camera was yanked out and destroyed.
The media house had alleged that while all the journalist was being assaulted, Mr Odinga’s security detail watched without responding to the journalist’s plea for help.
Mr Masinde has since been treated and recorded a statement with the police at Port Victoria Police Station.
