Migori Governor Okoth Obado’s female aide, Lisa Wema, allegedly attacked Nation Media Group journalist, Ian Byron, at Migori Stadium on Thursday, January 9.
In an article by Daily Nation, Wema attacked and injured Byron, where she physically beat the journalist and also hit him on the head with a glass soda bottle.
Wema accused the Nation Media Group team painting the governor in bad light in a series of reports about the county.
Byron was covering an event where the governor was launching an education scholarship program when the confrontation ensued.
However, attackers failed to give instances when the media house offended the governor.
The trio demanded that Byron and his team leave the event.
According to Migori Deputy Communications Officer Otieno Sije, Governor Okoth Obado was not part of any plan to attack the journalists.
“It is unfortunate that the incident happened but I want to state that the governor did not have a hand in it. He will address the matter later,” remarked Otieno as quoted by the Nation.
Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) Secretary General Eric Oduor condemned the act, criticising the attackers for curtailing the freedom of the press.
Oduor further called upon security organs to act on any cases of attacks on journalists that continue to soar in the region.
“The police should act on the Sangwenyas, a known criminal group operating in Migori Country but police have turned a blind eye to it,” he faulted.
Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) Chairman Oloo Janak and Migori Journalists Association Chairman George Juma condemned the attack on the members of the fourth estate.
Janak also joined in to call for an urgent investigation into the matter, to help hold those culpable to account for the assault on the journalist.
