Amnesty International Kenya has raised concern over what it describes as a growing pattern of journalists being obstructed from carrying out their professional duties while covering political and public events between February and May 2026.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton said journalists covering political gatherings and public functions have increasingly faced harassment, intimidation and physical attacks.
According to the rights lobby, recently documented cases include the violent assault of journalists at a political rally in Trans Nzoia County, where reporters were allegedly beaten, equipment damaged and footage forcibly deleted.
The organisation further claimed that journalists in Nairobi and Nyeri had been threatened, blocked or ejected from political events despite identifying themselves as members of the press.
It also cited complaints from journalists who reported intimidation and restricted access during recent presidential functions, including the Naivasha Education Conference and the ongoing Africa Forward Summit.
“These incidents reveal a troubling pattern in which political and public events are increasingly becoming high-risk environments for journalists covering political or public events,” Houghton said.
He alleged that violent political supporters, private security personnel and even law enforcement officers appeared to be operating with impunity, further raising concerns about the safety of media practitioners.
Amnesty Kenya also claimed that some journalists are increasingly being monitored and targeted over content shared on their private social media platforms, pointing to what it termed a broader pattern of surveillance beyond formal reporting.
Houghton warned that such actions risk creating a chilling effect on the media, potentially pushing journalists toward self-censorship and undermining constitutional protections on freedom of expression and media freedom under Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution.
“Journalists are not guests at political or public events. They are constitutional actors performing a public role central to democratic accountability. Any interference with their work is an attack on the rule of law,” he said.
The organisation further linked the concerns to the recent rejection by the National Assembly of a proposed Sh826 million payment plan intended to settle government debt owed to media houses, saying the move could negatively affect the financial sustainability of the press.
Amnesty said all individuals and institutions have a responsibility to protect media freedom, adding that the Office of the President bears a greater responsibility in demonstrating leadership and compliance with constitutional rights.
The organisation warned that silence or failure to address such incidents risks entrenching impunity and weakening public confidence in democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Amnesty Kenya has now called on political leaders and state officers to guarantee safe media access, refrain from incitement or intimidation, restrain supporters and cooperate with investigations into attacks targeting journalists.
The rights lobby also urged the National Police Service to protect journalists, stop attacks promptly, respect media work and independently investigate all reported violations.
Additionally, Amnesty called on oversight institutions, including the Media Council of Kenya and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, to strengthen documentation, investigations and accountability measures, including cases involving alleged police inaction.
“Failure to act decisively risks normalising attacks against journalists and eroding the foundation of democratic governance. There can be no free and fair elections without an independent and unfettered press,” Amnesty said.
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