The Sports Journalist Association of Kenya (SJAK) on Tuesday, April 29, demanded action from the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) after the assault of a journalist by the police during a match between Gor Mahia and Mara Sugar on Sunday, April 27.
As per SJAK, the alleged assault left the journalist hospitalised, further threatening dire consequences to FKF if no progress was made.
“As the leading body representing sports journalists in the country, we demand that Football Kenya Federation (FKF) take immediate action to address this matter,” SJAK averred.
“Failure to take concrete and decisive steps will leave us with no choice but to organise a boycott of all FKF-related activities until justice is served,” they further stated.
Also, the journalist body called for the Federation to partner with authorities to ensure that such incidents do not occur again, calling for a review of security protocols for journalists covering football games.
“Furthermore, we urge FKF to collaborate with the relevant authorities to ensure that such incidents do not occur again. It is crucial that security protocols for journalists covering football matches are reviewed and reinforced to prevent the recurrence of such violent attacks,” SJAK remarked.
Reports indicated that the journalist, who was in the company of his colleagues at the time of the incident, was instructed by a police officer to wait before being granted access when another officer hit him on the back of his head, causing him to collapse.
His colleagues also accused the police of blocking them from assisting him, with some officers allegedly calling for their removal from the area.
A senior police officer then intervened to allow his colleagues to help him, with the officer asking them not to escalate the matter as an ambulance was being called.
In the Gor Mahia versus Mara Sugar clash, the police also had a confrontation with a section of fans outside the stadium and lobbed teargas canisters at them.
The gas entered the stadium, forcing the centre referee to temporarily stop the match early in the first half to allow players to take shelter.
As per SJAK, the assault on the journalist was not the first time media practitioners had faced police aggression, with the journalistic body challenging the authorities to maintain professionalism in the execution of their duties.
“It is with great regret that we must highlight that this is not the first time a journalist has faced such aggression while covering football in Kenya. This must not and will not be tolerated moving forward,” SJAK stated.
“The safety of our members must be guaranteed at all times, particularly in the course of their professional duties. The actions of the police officer involved in this assault are unacceptable and cannot go unpunished,” they expressed.
