Kenya: Bouncers Stab Jane Kibira While Reporting on Police Raid on Shisha Bar
5 journalists were assaulted during the intervention
Location: Kenya, Nairobi
Date: January 5, 2024
In a police raid on a Nairobi bar, journalists were violently assaulted, with Jane Kibira and Boniface Bogita sustaining stab injuries. The violent response from the club's bouncers raises concerns about the safety of the press covering such events. The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom calls for swift prosecutions of those who assaulted the journalists.
On January 5, 2024, at the Kettle House Bar and Grill in Nairobi, journalists accompanying police officers on a Shisha raid faced violent confrontations that resulted in severe injuries and equipment damage.
During the operation, the journalists were met with aggression from the club's bouncers. Jane Kibira, a camera operator with Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), was stabbed in her back. She received medical care in a hospital and was later discharged. Reporter Boniface Bogita of Nation Media Group sustained two stab wounds to his ribs. Boniface Okendo, Francis Odee, and Jackson Kibet, journalists from the Standard Media Group, were assaulted, and their cameras were confiscated and destroyed.
Kenya Union of Journalists Secretary General Erick Oduor condemned the violent attacks on journalists. He labeled the acts as barbaric and urged the bar owner to take responsibility for the property damage and injuries inflicted on the press members.
The raid, conducted by officials from the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), aimed to address reports of shisha smoking within the club. Despite a ban on shisha since 2017, the Kettle House Bar and Grill was allegedly permitting shisha smoking on its premises.
When the NACADA officers eventually regained control of the bar, they arrested 21 people, including the bouncers involved in the attacks. A knife believed to have been used in the stabbings was recovered during the operation.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom calls for a thorough investigation and urges authorities to take measures to ensure the protection of journalists covering law enforcement operations. The assault on Jane Kibira, who sustained a stab wound to her back, and Boniface Bogita, who suffered two stab wounds, is not only unacceptable but also a violation of press freedom. The destruction of journalistic equipment and the physical harm inflicted on journalists Boniface Okendo, Francis Odee, and Jackson Kibet of the Standard Media Group further demonstrates the perilous conditions under which journalists operate. Journalists play a crucial role in keeping the public informed, and their safety must be prioritized to maintain press freedom and accountability. We stand in solidarity with Jane Kibira and the affected journalists, demanding justice for the attacks they endured during the operation.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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