Citizen TV Agnes Oloo Harassment: Journalists Disagree With DCI, Issue 5 Demands
CJAK revisited the assault case earlier on Thursday involving Agnes Oloo, a photojournalist working at the Royal Media Service-based station.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
The Crime Journalists Association of Kenya (CJAK) on Thursday, December 5 strongly condemned the escalating harassment, threats, and violence meted out against journalists by police officers, as witnessed during the case of a Citizen TV journalist who was harassed by a police officer in an incident captured on video.
At the same time, they also poked holes in subsequent responses to the matter by Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Amin Mohamed, particularly the latter's revelation that it was an isolated case.
"The Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, has since apologized for the incident, describing the officer involved as “overzealous.” Similarly, the DCI Director, Mohamed Amin, has termed it “an isolated case.” CJAK strongly disagrees," the premier group on Security, Governance and Human Rights: Seeking to promote Quality Journalism and Enhance Accountability said in a statement obtained by Viral Tea.
"This incident is neither isolated nor unprecedented. Instead, it is part of a deliberate and systematic pattern of harassment, intimidation, and impunity targeting journalists, which has escalated over the past two years."
Members of the Crime Journalists Association of Kenya (CJAK) posing for a past group photo. /CJAK.X
CJAK revisited the assault case earlier on Thursday involving Agnes Oloo, a photojournalist working at the Royal Media Service-based station. She was among journalists at the DCI headquarters to cover the grilling of Kiambu County Senator Karungo Thangw’a, summoned over chaos at an event in Limuru involving Rigathi Gachagua.
In a peaceful exercise that turned hostile, plain-cloth police officers attacked members of the press, including Oloo, who was physically wrestled, by a police officer who was heard in the video threatening to destroy her camera, citing "absurd claims of being filmed without consent."
Furthermore, TV47 journalist William Moige was also harassed, with his phone confiscated and police demanding that he delete the footage. CJAK also cited other instances of journalists being attacked in their line of duty, some were even threatened with criminal charges.
"During the recent anti-tax protests, journalist Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki was shot four times by a police officer while covering the demonstrations. This incident, which CJAK unequivocally describes as an attempted murder, exemplifies the extent of impunity within the police service. Despite clear evidence, no action has been taken against the officer responsible for this life-threatening assault," added the statement.
"Just this week, Nation Journalist Hillary Kimuyu – a member of the esteemed CJAK - was summoned by the DCI and threatened with criminal charges unless he revealed the source of a story about the mismanagement of a PSV insurer on the brink of collapse. Journalists are constitutionally protected from revealing their sources, a cornerstone of investigative reporting. The confiscation of Kimuyu’s phone under the guise of “further investigations” is not only a violation of his rights but also an attack on press freedom."
During the opposition’s anti-tax protests, multiple journalists were assaulted, beaten, and threatened by police. These actions, coupled with the confiscation and destruction of equipment, have created a climate of fear, undermining journalists’ ability to carry out their duties safely.
CJAK added that the December 5 assault violated Articles 34 & 35 of the Constitution of Kenya, which guarantee freedom of the media and affirm the right to access information, respectively.
Additionally, they breached international frameworks, including Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to seek, receive, and impart information, as well as The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which underscores press freedom as critical to democracy and The Windhoek Declaration, which emphasises the role of a free and independent press.
"Additionally, the physical attacks and confiscation of property violate Section 251 of the Penal Code (criminalizing assault) and Section 268 (prohibiting theft or unlawful seizure)," added the statement.
CJAK therefore demanded that all officers involved in the harassment, violence, and intimidation of journalists, including those at the DCI headquarters and during protests, must face disciplinary and legal consequences.
The group also compelled IG Kanja and Amin to back their apologies with actionable steps to end systemic harassment of journalists.
"Law enforcement must issue public assurances of safety and constitutional rights for journalists, with specific measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. Unresolved cases, including the shooting of Catherine Wanjeri, must be revisited, and those responsible held accountable. Confiscated equipment, such as Hillary Kimuyu’s phone, must be returned immediately, and such unlawful practices must be prohibited," added CJAK.
