A journalist working with The Star newspaper was on Friday, January 3, roughed up by bouncers in a hotel in Turkana county.
The correspondent, Hesborn Etyang, was allegedly manhandled at a hotel identified as Stegra Hotel where he holidaying.
Etyang who is currently The Star correspondent in Turkana County explained that while relaxing he noticed a child appearing to be drowning at the hotel's pool and took pictures.
When the hotel's management learned of his act, he alleges they accosted him, demanding that he delete the photos.
"When I took the photos of the incident as it was my duty as a news reporter, the bouncers beat me up and squeezed my hand to make sure I had deleted the photographs," Etyang narrated.
Journalists in the county held a demonstration demanding that the scribe's assaulters be arrested.
Incidences of journalists being assaulted in the line of work have featured in the past attracting outrage from members of the profession in a country that boasts one of the freer media environments in the region.
In July 2019, a journalist attached to People Daily, Noah Kipkogei, was beaten up by askaris at Nakuru County offices while following up on a story.
On November 5, 2019, embattled Nairobi Governor, Mike Mbuvi Sonko was filmed slapping a journalist at the entrance to the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) headquarters, Integrity Centre, Nairobi while on his way to honour a summon.
The Media Council of Kenya had moved swiftly to issue a statement demanding speedy investigations into the incident.
"The council calls upon the DCI and ODPP to investigate circumstances surrounding the attacks on Collins Kweyu (SMG), Steve Shitera (Citizen TV), Jeff Angote (NTV) and Joseph Wakhungu (Milele FM), with a view to bringing the culprits to book.
"The council has also seen a video clip in which the governor Mike Sonko was recorded assaulting Kweyu who was trying to gain access into the EACC premises," the statement signed by MCK chief executive, David Omwoyo, read.
Here is the video courtesy of Citizen TV:
