Kileleshwa Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) Robert Alai has strongly denounced the recent violent incident at Kettle House Bar and Grill, which resulted in injuries to several journalists.
Alai has called for an immediate investigation into the matter, expressing concern that the aggression displayed by the security personnel and bouncers towards the media practitioners is a direct assault on the freedom of the press and expression.
“In light of this, I am calling for the immediate and thorough investigation of this incident by the police, led by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and other relevant agencies. It is imperative that all those responsible for these heinous acts are brought to justice. This investigation must be swift and transparent to ensure that such incidents do not recur,” he said.
The incident happened as officials targeted the establishment for allowing patrons to smoke shisha, a banned activity in Kenya.
Several journalists and police officers sustained injuries during the confrontation and were subsequently taken to hospitals for medical attention.
Some journalists also had their equipment damaged in the scuffle.
The altercation occurred when police officers, accompanied by journalists and officials from the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), arrived at the bar to arrest club managers and patrons for allegedly smoking shisha.
Upon encountering the journalists, the club’s bouncers, donned in black suits and red ties, aggressively confronted them, physically assaulting and confiscating their recording equipment. The journalists suffered injuries and losses of valuables and cash.
Among the injured individuals was Nation Media photographer Boniface Bogita, who sustained two stab wounds to the ribs but is reported to be in stable condition. Kenya Broadcasting Corporation journalist Jane Kibira was also stabbed in the back, while Standard Media Group photographer Boniface Okendo and videographer Francis Odee faced physical assault, leading to the confiscation and destruction of their cameras.
Police later took control of the situation, arresting the fleeing bouncers who had changed clothes and sought refuge in the bar’s toilets to evade arrest. The operation resulted in the arrest of 21 individuals, and a knife suspected to have been used in the stabbings was recovered.
The Kettle House Bar and Grill has faced previous complaints from neighbors regarding loud music, prompting action during the recent raid against shisha. NACADA Chief Executive Officer Antony Omerikwa and Head of Enforcement Nicholas Kosgei led the operation, which resulted in the arrest of several suspects and the recovery of shisha pots.
Shisha was banned in Kenya in 2017, encompassing its use, import, manufacture, sale, promotion, and distribution. Offenders face fines starting at Ksh 50,000 or a minimum jail term of six months.
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