Kenya: Women Press Freedom Outraged by Police Shooting and Injuring Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki with Rubber Bullets During Anti-Government Protests
Kariuki was clearly identifiable as press when police targeted her
Location: Kenya, Nakuru
Date: July 16, 2024
Women Press Freedom expresses deep concern over the shooting of journalist Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki while she covered protests in Nakuru County. Video footage analyzed by us and sources on the ground confirmed that she was shot three times with rubber bullets by a police officer in a Kenya Police van. Fortunately, her injuries are not critical, and she remains in stable condition in hospital. We wish her a speedy recovery and demand immediate accountability for the officers involved in this targeted attack, as Kariuki was clearly identified as press by her vest. Alarmingly, this is not the first instance of police violence against women journalists in Kenya during recent protests; just last month, NTV reporter Maureen Mureithi was injured by a police water cannon while covering demonstrations in Nairobi. These aggressive actions against journalists must stop. We call on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the shooting of Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki and urge the immediate prosecution of any responsible officers.
On July 16, 2024, Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki, a journalist with Mediamax Network Ltd., was shot three times with rubber bullets while covering anti-government protests in Nakuru County.
The shooting occurred as thousands of Kenyans took to the streets to protest against the government.
Kariuki, who was wearing a press vest, was struck in the left thigh while documenting the demonstrations.
Eyewitness Greg Onyango, a fellow journalist, confirmed that Kariuki was shot from a Kenya Police-marked pick-up truck. A video analyzed by Women Press Freedom shows armed officers firing at the crowd and Kariuki screaming in pain as she falls to the ground.
According to the Kenya Union of Journalists, Kariuki’s fellow journalists called the shooting a “targeted attack” by a “rogue police officer.”
“We demand action against the trigger-happy police officer who targeted journalists who had been deployed by media houses to inform Kenyans. Such barbaric acts have no place in a democratic society like Kenya, where journalists are required to play the role of watchdog and source of credible information to citizens,” KUJ Secretary General Erick Oduor said in a statement.
Journalist Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki on the ground injured after being shot in the leg, Nakuru, July 16, 2024.
Kariuki was initially taken to Valley Hospital by colleagues but later transferred to Nakuru Provincial General Hospital Annex for surgery. She is reported to be in stable condition but remains in pain.
The CEO of the state media regulator, Media Council of Kenya (MCK), called the shooting of the journalist “shameful and terrifying.” Her employer Mediamax Limited deemed the attack a brazen assault on media freedom and an attempt to deny Kenyan citizens access to information.
Three people, among them Kariuki, were shot during the anti-government protests in Nakuru. The second person was shot in the leg while the third one had a gunshot in the back as the police engaged protesters in running battles.
The anti-government demonstrations began last month in opposition to a tax bill that was later withdrawn after public outcry. But dissatisfaction with the government remains and protests continue nationwide as citizens voice their anger at state corruption and police violence against demonstrators.
The shooting of a Kariuki is the latest in a troubling pattern of police violence against journalists in Kenya. Women Press Freedom has documented several violations of Kenyan police assaulting reporters, including the injuring of a reporter with a water cannon in June, tear gassing of journalists at a protest in 2023, and a brutal assault by a senior police officer on well-known radio host Angela Muiruri in 2020.
Women Press Freedom stands in solidarity with Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki and all journalists who face dangers in their line of duty. We urge the Kenyan government to uphold its commitment to press freedom and ensure that such attacks on journalists do not go unpunished. We call on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to conduct a swift investigation and bring those responsible to justice. Journalists must be allowed to carry out their work without fear of violence or intimidation from law enforcement. Impunity of officers who target the press must not be allowed to continue.
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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