NMG condemns attack on journalists covering Ol Kalou by-election

Nation Media Group has condemned the assault on its journalists while they were covering the Ol Kalou Parliamentary by-election, raising concerns over the safety of media personnel during election coverage.

In a statement, the company said an NTV cameraman was allegedly tasered, beaten and had his camera seized, while a Nation reporter was reportedly threatened at gunpoint and had her mobile phone forcibly taken.

“An attack on journalists is an assault on the public’s right to know,” Nation Media Group Chairman Joe Muganda said in the statement.

The media house called on the relevant authorities to investigate the incident, bring those responsible to justice and ensure the protection of journalists carrying out their duties during electoral processes.

However, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has not acknowledged violence in the constituency.

IEBC said voting in the Ol Kalou Parliamentary by-election was largely successful, with polling concluding peacefully in most stations as vote counting got underway.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said the majority of polling stations opened at 6.00 a.m. as scheduled, adding that stations that experienced delays or interruptions would extend voting hours to compensate for lost time.

According to the Commission, voter turnout had reached 38.2 percent of registered voters by 1.00 p.m.

“We commend the citizens, poll officials and security agencies for their professionalism, cooperation and commitment to maintain peace and order throughout the polling process,” the IEBC statement said.

Despite the Commission’s assessment, reports emerged of isolated incidents of chaos in parts of the constituency, with some journalists among those affected.

Ethekon said voters were successfully identified using the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kits throughout the exercise.

“There is no provision in law for super agents or any unauthorised persons to operate within polling or tallying centres, including leaders and politicians,”he said.

The IEBC chairperson also clarified that state officers and public officers who are registered voters were entitled to cast their ballots.

With polling now closed, counting of votes is underway across the constituency. Presiding officers are required to open ballot boxes and tally votes transparently in the presence of party agents, observers and the media, in accordance with electoral laws.