The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has vowed to use legal means to ensure attacked journalists are compensated and their equipment replaced by the perpetrators.
This comes after several journalists affiliated to various media houses were attacked in the early morning of January 6th while covering a raid by the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) in Nairobi recently on the use of the prohibited Shisha.
Speaking to the media in Nyahururu town, the Council, through their CEO, Mr. David Omwoyo, has stated that they have filed a case in court demanding immediate compensation for the injured journalists and the replacement of all the destroyed media equipment by the proprietor of the club and the individual perpetrators.
MCK, while strongly condemning the assault on the journalists during the NACADA raid at Kettle House Bar and Grill in Nairobi, Omwoyo said the Council will go to court to push for compensation for the journalists attacked at the Nairobi club.
“This time we have decided to go a step further. Apart from the normal statements, we are moving to court to demand compensation for the injured journalists and damaged equipment,” the MCK CEO said.
He warned premises owners that they will be held responsible if journalists were attacked within their premises. This, he said, will discourage attacks on media people.
The council has also assured all the journalists across the board of their safety, asking them to be vigilant about the kind of coverage they are going to undertake.
By Antony Mwangi
