Turkana, Thursday, January 25, 2018 KNA
Leaders in Turkana County have condemned yesterday’s incident where eight journalists were attacked by youth allied to one faction of KANU party in Lodwar town.
The eight journalists were attacked and some cameras damaged by the youth who did not want the media to cover the story on the fall out within the party.
The county Women Rep Ms. Joyce Emanikor strongly condemned the perpetrators of the violence against the journalists.
“The act is primitive and retrogressive in the practice of democracy and fundamental freedoms. Indeed it is sad and unfortunate. I wish to apologize to the media fraternity and specifically the victims,” Emanikor said.
She urged the security machinery to take action, saying, “these were definitely individuals and not the party unless they want to remind us of those KANU’s one-party state days,” she said in a statement.
The Catholic diocese of Lodwar communication department also condemned the attack.
“The issue of continued attacks on journalists in this county portrays a negative image. It is backward, unnecessary and retrogressive. There are ways of handling issues without recourse to violence.
And this common anthem, “watu wa mchanga,” will take the county nowhere. The belief that the “outsiders” are the enemies of the county is sheer blackmail used to manipulate the common mwananchi,” the department said in a statement.
The incident comes barely a month after four journalists were attacked while covering an event at Lake Turkana.
The media council of Kenya and other journalists toured the county for a fact finding mission which included meeting with deputy Governor Peter Lotethiro and community leaders.
The media and the county leadership resolved to work in harmony.