Journalists tear gassed, harassed during Anti-IEBC demos in Kisumu.

 Some of the Police Vehicles which have been spotted in Kisumu today patrolling during the Anti-IEBC demos.Police have harassed, Tear gassed and clobbered some Journalists in the line of duty-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo.

By Dickson Odhiambo.

October 9, 2017.

Journalists tear gassed, harassed during Anti-IEBC demos in Kisumu.

A host of Journalists have bore the brunt of the Anti- IEBC demonstrations in Kisumu today after they were tear gassed, harassed and even some clobbered by the General Service Unit Police officers who have been sent to the Lake side City to quell the Anti-IEBC demos.

During the running battles that started around noon, Kisumu journalists were harassed by officers while covering the protest and told not to try to follow the Anti-Riot Police.

The officers did not want to see journalist anywhere around them as they lobbed teargas canisters at the protestors and spaying them with water from two water cannons which initially stood by at a nearby Kisumu State Lodge.

 The rogue GSU officers first harassed the standard Newspaper Photographer Denish Ochieng whom they warned of dare consequences and were categorical that the media should not be seen near them.

 You people of the media get out of here before we launch the teargas on you people because we do not want to see you near us,” one officer was heard saying.

 Faith Matete of the Star newspaper was not spared either as the Police officers accused her of taking their photos during the riot.

They wanted to take her phone away but quick inteverntion of her colleagues who were nearby saved her.

“We will not entertain journalist in Kisumu. You Kisumu journalist think you are special we will deal with you,” one of officers told them despite their counterparts from the local station telling them that those were the Journalists.

KTN Reporter  Rashid Ronald was assaulted too by the officers along the Kisumu- Nairobi road when he was preparing to give live link coverage of the event taking place.

Rashid says h had been called from Nairobi(Head office) to go live, when they saw him holding the phone then questioned whom he  was talking.

He says the Police officers even demanded to know who gave him the permission to do so.

“Before I could give them an answer, they started beating me,  the Kisumu Central Police OCS interjected telling them i was journalist but they could not here non,” says Rashid.

He says he has sustained injuries on the left leg which was clobbered and one of the officers also kicked.

“We have worked well with the police for nearly the last 20 years but I have never seen the kind of police officers who have been brought to Kisumu to quell riot who even beat Journalists,” he adds.

 An international freelance journalist was also harassed as another journalist’s phone was taken away but later returned to him.

 They also harassed a number of motorists near Kisumu boys roundabout where they did not want them to gain entry into the main bus terminus.

 

Kisumu Journalists Network Chairman Dickson Odhiambo also sustained injuries on his right foot when he fell down after the police lobbed tear gas canister near a pick up carrying Journalists.

Odhiambo has condemned the attack on Journalists while in the line of duty and has asked the Inspector General of Police to launch an immediate investigation into the incident of attacking Journalists by the Police.

 End