Kenya protests: When press freedom is under siege courageous journalists enlighten the world
As Kenyans flooded the streets of Nairobi on 25 June in commemoration of the first anniversary of the Maandamano (protests) and the 7 July the Saba Saba protests, the coverage of journalist Larry Madowo stood out.
The Communication Authority of Kenya had ordered all broadcasters to desist from live coverage of the Maandamano and Saba Saba protests, an action that kept press freedom under siege. But CNN's Madowo still defied this.
The peaceful protests were geared towards remembering the 60 fallen victims opposing the Finance Bill in 2024 and against gross human rights violations and inequalities.
Saba Saba Day commemorates the 7 July 1990 protests, when Kenyans demanded a multi-party democracy.
Press freedom is the cornerstone of democratic societies. The communication authority's undemocratic actions violated articles 33 and 34 of Kenya's Constitution and suffocated digital civic spaces, free press and the independence of media.
Madowo, a former BBC North America and Kenya Television (KTV) correspondent from Siaya county, captured the live protests in video recordings, interviewing protestors and broadcasting to inform the world of the developing stories.
'Police fired tear gas to disperse thousands who took to the streets to mark the one year anniversary of anti-government protests that left dozens of dead', among other tragic incidents, Madowo reported.
How would the world have known that 300 people were wounded
,
67 in a critical condition and 10 dead during the Saba Saba protests when Kenya's army and police responded?
One might argue that Madowo was doing exactly what he is paid for by CNN, but he has been threatened by pro-Ruto government apologists and covering such events is courageous.
On 7 July, Madowo posted on X that an attempt on his life had been made and pro-government voices had called for his arrest.
He also uses his digital social handles to counteract misinformation and disinformation by providing information on what is actually happening. For example, in the case of Boniface Kariuki's death, the Kenyan police said he had attacked a police station but the vendor was selling masks to make a living as usual.
Journalism is the pursuit of truth no matter who it is against it. It is the pillar that holds governance accountable in democratic societies.
In this age and era, journalism is facing occupational hazards. Not only are journalists threatened, governments are trying to turn them into proxy public relations officers, prompting them to alter the truth and breed disinformation in news rooms, an act aimed at destroying the independence of the media.
This is also an era of the internet and artificial intelligence where social media can trend with fabricated stories, escalating disinformation and misinformation.
It is an era of the rise of non-professional citizen journalists where anyone with a smartphone can provide news, which can be positive, but not if it hasn't been fact checked.
This is an age in which journalists are cyberstalked, surveilled, harassed online, while on the front line they are beaten and their cameras confiscated by security officials.
Amid such occupational hazards, reporting such as Madowo did during the Maandamano anniversary reminds the profession to remain firm and strong.
Driving public discourse and amplifying the voices of the marginalised is key to promoting transparency and accountability in democratic societies.
We should all stand tall and protect journalists who have dedicated their lives to informing and educating us because, by protecting them, we protect our freedoms and societies.
It is upon journalists themselves to be ethical and professional and to separate journalism from activism and public relations. Unless they do so, they are no different from bloggers for hire.
Without safeguarding freedom of the press, independence and viability of the media a society is not democratic.
Robert Kigongo is a sustainable development analyst.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald
7 hours ago
- The Herald
'He acted decisively': Ndlozi supports Ramaphosa's decision amid criticism
Opposition parties including the EFF, ActionSA, DA, GOOD Party, ATM and Build One SA have rejected Ramaphosa's decision. The EFF said Ramaphosa should've fired Mchunu instead of placing him on special leave. 'This so-called 'special leave' is a cowardly deflection, designed to shield a corrupt minister whose involvement in organised crime has been laid bare by Mkhwanazi,' EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said. Build One SA leader Mmusi Maimane said the move was not enough. 'We have had enough commissions of inquiry. I believe Mchunu should have been fired and the other ministers who have lied to parliament. This was a missed opportunity,' he said. The DA said it would not allow another commission of inquiry that would take years to yield results. 'These allegations provided the president with an opportunity to show bold and firm leadership,' DA leader John Steenhuisen said. 'Instead, he has again outsourced executive responsibility to a commission and South Africans have grown cynical of talk shops, task teams and commissions which they see as buying time and avoiding accountability. 'The country cannot afford another elaborate filing cabinet of findings that gathers dust while the politically connected escape justice.' Social media users have also expressed disapproval of Ramaphosa's decisions. Here are more reactions from X:
Mail & Guardian
7 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
Trust in South African police at an all time low, report shows
Public trust in the South African Police Service is at an all-time low, with just over a fifth of citizens having faith in the police since 2022 (File photo by Delwyn Verasamy/M&G) Public trust in the The study by the Ramaphosa said he was setting up a judicial commission of inquiry to be chaired by the acting deputy chief justice, Mbuyiseli Madlanga, to investigate what he called 'the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates'. According to From 1998 to 2010, the average level of trust ranged between 39% and 42%, but dropped sharply in the 2011-13 period following the In 2021, trust in the police fell to 27%, apparently as a result of the 'The findings of this study underscore the urgent need for SAPS to prioritise building public trust and confidence,' the HSRC's Benjamin Roberts, the principal investigator of the study, commented. 'By adopting a more community-focused and accountable approach to policing, we can work towards creating safer and more secure communities for all South Africans.' In his live address on Sunday, Ramaphosa said the allegations against Mchunu and others made last week by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi posed a grave threat to the rule of law and national security. Mchunu has denied the allegations against him. On Monday, the HSRC said trust in the police had fallen in all provinces over the past two and a half decades, although there were notable disparities. The Eastern Cape and Northern Cape consistently recorded the highest levels of trust, averaging 43% and 42% respectively, while Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal had the lowest average trust levels at 29% and 34% respectively, slumping to just 18% in 2024-25. 'Provinces such as the Free State and Limpopo, which once reported relatively high trust, have also experienced marked declines, reaching 23% by 2024-25. By the time of the 2024-25 survey round, no province recorded trust levels above 30%,' the HSRC said. 'The trend points to a deepening legitimacy crisis for SAPS across the country, with historically higher-trust provinces converging downward toward the levels of deep scepticism observed in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.' The report added that public views of the police were influenced by broader evaluations of democratic performance and the trustworthiness of the government. 'Public confidence in democratic institutions has shown a strong downward trend over the past 17 years, as part of a general pattern of diminishing political support. Police confidence is not immune to the pull-down effect of these wider trends,' it said. Established in 1968 as a statutory research agency, the HSRC's mandate is to inform the effective formulation and monitoring of government policy, evaluate policy implementation and encourage public debate.
Mail & Guardian
9 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
Kenya protests: When press freedom is under siege courageous journalists enlighten the world
The Communications Authority of Kenya ordered that the commemoration of the 2024 protests not be covered. Photo: File As Kenyans flooded the streets of Nairobi on 25 June in commemoration of the first anniversary of the Maandamano (protests) and the 7 July the Saba Saba protests, the coverage of journalist Larry Madowo stood out. The Communication Authority of Kenya had ordered all broadcasters to desist from live coverage of the Maandamano and Saba Saba protests, an action that kept press freedom under siege. But CNN's Madowo still defied this. The peaceful protests were geared towards remembering the 60 fallen victims opposing the Finance Bill in 2024 and against gross human rights violations and inequalities. Saba Saba Day commemorates the 7 July 1990 protests, when Kenyans demanded a multi-party democracy. Press freedom is the cornerstone of democratic societies. The communication authority's undemocratic actions violated articles 33 and 34 of Kenya's Constitution and suffocated digital civic spaces, free press and the independence of media. Madowo, a former BBC North America and Kenya Television (KTV) correspondent from Siaya county, captured the live protests in video recordings, interviewing protestors and broadcasting to inform the world of the developing stories. 'Police fired tear gas to disperse thousands who took to the streets to mark the one year anniversary of anti-government protests that left dozens of dead', among other tragic incidents, Madowo reported. How would the world have known that 300 people were wounded , 67 in a critical condition and 10 dead during the Saba Saba protests when Kenya's army and police responded? One might argue that Madowo was doing exactly what he is paid for by CNN, but he has been threatened by pro-Ruto government apologists and covering such events is courageous. On 7 July, Madowo posted on X that an attempt on his life had been made and pro-government voices had called for his arrest. He also uses his digital social handles to counteract misinformation and disinformation by providing information on what is actually happening. For example, in the case of Boniface Kariuki's death, the Kenyan police said he had attacked a police station but the vendor was selling masks to make a living as usual. Journalism is the pursuit of truth no matter who it is against it. It is the pillar that holds governance accountable in democratic societies. In this age and era, journalism is facing occupational hazards. Not only are journalists threatened, governments are trying to turn them into proxy public relations officers, prompting them to alter the truth and breed disinformation in news rooms, an act aimed at destroying the independence of the media. This is also an era of the internet and artificial intelligence where social media can trend with fabricated stories, escalating disinformation and misinformation. It is an era of the rise of non-professional citizen journalists where anyone with a smartphone can provide news, which can be positive, but not if it hasn't been fact checked. This is an age in which journalists are cyberstalked, surveilled, harassed online, while on the front line they are beaten and their cameras confiscated by security officials. Amid such occupational hazards, reporting such as Madowo did during the Maandamano anniversary reminds the profession to remain firm and strong. Driving public discourse and amplifying the voices of the marginalised is key to promoting transparency and accountability in democratic societies. We should all stand tall and protect journalists who have dedicated their lives to informing and educating us because, by protecting them, we protect our freedoms and societies. It is upon journalists themselves to be ethical and professional and to separate journalism from activism and public relations. Unless they do so, they are no different from bloggers for hire. Without safeguarding freedom of the press, independence and viability of the media a society is not democratic. Robert Kigongo is a sustainable development analyst.
