The East African Standard (Nairobi)

Kenya: Military Soldiers Beat Up Journalists

By Isaiah Lucheli, 12 March 2008

Nairobi — Journalists covering the military operation in Mt Elgon were beaten, their cameras confiscated and TV footage deleted.

Military officers accosted them in Cheptais as they alighted from the vehicle to take pictures.

Mr Sammy Cheboi, a reporter with Nation Media Group and Mr Hillary Obinda, a cameraman, were slapped several times then forced to kneel down.

"We were filming along the Cheptais-Lwakhakha road when the military officers approached us," said Obinda.

He said they pleaded with the officers to stop beating them to no avail.

The officers took the cameras and deleted all the shots they had captured.

"They returned the cameras, ordered us to leave the area and warned us against returning," said Obinda.

Tagged: Arms and Armies, Conflict, East Africa, Human Rights, Kenya, Media

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