Police have launched investigations into an incident in which journalists were attacked by rowdy youth in Homa Bay town.
The journalists were attacked during a press briefing by the Luo Council of elders over the weekend.
During the attack, George Odiwuor of Nation Media was punched in the stomach forcing him to seek medical attention at Homa Bay County Referral Hospital.
Odiwuor said he was suddenly attacked by the youth who complained that they were not happy with the media coverage they were giving some politicians in the region.
He said the youth began arriving when they were still conducting the interview but they stood some meters away.
“We conducted the interview but immediately we finished, the youth invaded us. One of them pounced on my stomach with fists and blows,” Odiwuor said.
Some of the journalists also received death threats from the rowdy youth. Ali Abich of Royal Media said one of them wanted to assault him but instead he only threatened that he would kill him.
A staffer at the State Department of Regional Development was also injured following an assault by the youth.
The journalists appealed to security agencies in the county to take action against the youth.
Homa Bay County Police Commander Samson Kinne said thorough investigations would be conducted.
“The youths committed a crime by attacking journalists. They must face the full force of the law. Some of them have been identified,” Kinne said.
By Davis Langat
