The IPI global network strongly condemns the attacks against People Daily journalist Habil Onyango on September 14 and calls on Kenyan authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and prosecute those involved.
According to a statement issued by the Media Council of Kenya, Onyango was assaulted, abducted, and harassed by individuals allegedly acting under the instructions of Beatrice Mercy Akugo, an official with the Homa Bay County government. An investigative story by Onyango implicated the official. The story claimed Akugo, in the human resources department, took bribes to facilitate county-level employment opportunities.
The attackers also confiscated Onyango’s camera and other devices, deleted content, and impersonated the journalist online to issue a public apology, Onyango told IPI. He also told IPI that he was beaten in the jaw and ribs and is having difficulty eating.
On September 17, the Homa Bay Law Court charged Akugo with assaulting Onyango. She was later released on bail, according to a statement by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The case will resume on September 30. With the person accused of ordering the attack now out on bail, Onyango has decided to go into hiding and is no longer doing his journalism work.
This is not the first incident of state actors targeting the press in the western Kenyan town of Homa Bay. On June 1, police officers and unidentified individuals assaulted four journalists in Homa Bay while covering the Madaraka Day celebrations – a public holiday in Kenya celebrating the country’s internal self-rule.
On that occasion, police severely beat TV producer Steve Okedi of the Kenya Television Network (KTN), journalists Marble Achieng and George Odiwuor of Nation Television (NTV), and journalist Ephantus Maina of Royal Media Services while covering the celebrations at Raila Odinga Stadium, despite the fact the journalists presented their press accreditations.