It has emerged that the man arrested dramatically by a police officer posing as a journalist during Wednesday’s anti-government demonstrations in Nairobi’s Mathare area was criticising police officers for firing teargas at children.
A video published by Africa Uncensored shows the man confronting officers from a distance, saying he had been in the house but went to the streets to face the uniformed forces after his child fainted.
“Who does not have a heart? Do you want to kill my child? My child has now fainted. I am just from the house; I’m even wearing sandals,” the man is heard telling the officers.
“I do not have any weapon I am just telling you the truth; you are hurting our children. That one (officer) threw teargas at kids,” he goes on, after which an officer in plainclothes emerges from behind and captures him before his colleagues in uniform join in restraining the protester while leading him towards a waiting police truck.
Videos captured from a different angle had shown the officer standing near the crowd filming the incident using a phone next to a journalist before he grabbed the demonstrator.
“My child has been teargassed and you are now arresting me?” the man is heard telling the officers as they drag him, shouting “Put him in the truck!”
One of the policemen is even heard telling him, “You thought you were a man?” to which the protester pleads, “But I have not hit anyone?”
The officer is seen twisting the civilian’s arm and they force him onto the truck. “Get in there, very fast!” they are heard shouting while hitting the man with batons.
The incident has sparked condemnation, with the Media Council of Kenya saying the action endangers journalists in their line of work.
“The Media Council of Kenya has noted with deep concerns cases of security forces as camouflaging as journalists covering protests with intent to arrest protestors,” MCK CEO David Omwoyo said in a statement on Wednesday.
He added: “Impersonation of journalists by the police is a grave unprofessional misconduct on the part of the police and trials endanger the lives of journalists in the line of duty.”
Omwoyo castigated the police for arresting and detaining press members, saying it was a violation of the law.
“While the council appreciates the release of journalists who were earlier arrested while covering the protests, the detaining of journalists was unnecessary, arbitrary and ridiculous,” Omwoyo noted.
“The work of journalists is protected under Asides 33, 34 and 35 of the Constitution, a right that should be ‘respected by all.”
The Raila Odinga-led opposition faction called for the protests to picket against the high cost of living and increased taxation by President William Ruto’s administration.
The demos entered the third round on Wednesday and the opposition plans to have them three days a week moving forward.
