March 28, 2020

MEDIA STATEMENT

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Nation Media Group (NMG) Statement Condemning the Police Brutality on Kenyans and Journalists during the Ongoing Coronavirus Curfew on March 27, 2020

The Nation Media Group condemns the attack on Kenyans, including women, children and one of our journalists, by police at the Likoni Ferry in Mombasa, various locations in Nairobi and the rest of the country.

This level of violence meted out on Kenyans trying to get back home before the 7pm curfew, in some cases because of circumstances beyond their control, is unreasonable, against the law and defeats the purpose of uniting the country against the Covid-19 pandemic. It is outrageous and indefensible, as happened in the case of the NMG journalist Peter Wainaina, for police to start assaulting the public two hours before the curfew. In attacking Mr Wainaina the police not only violated the constitutional protections of the media but also acted in contravention of the government’s own decision to recognise journalists as providing an essential service and therefore allowed out during the curfew.

NMG fully supports the government’s curfew and any other quarantine measures that will be imposed to keep people at home, prevent the Coronavirus infection and save lives. Unfortunately, if the government allows the police to conduct themselves in this lawless fashion, these well-intended measures will lose public support, thereby defeating their noble intentions.

The image of Kenya matters. We want our country to be seen as orderly, open, progressive and one whose government respects the law and the rights of citizens.

We commend the members of the National Police Service and Disciplined Forces in other parts of the country who upheld their mission “to provide professional and people centred police service through community partnership and upholding rule of law for a safe and secure society.”

We wish to reaffirm our commitment to fight for the rights of all Kenyans even during unprecedented times such as this pandemic. We reassure our journalists that we are proud to stand with them and we will do everything to protect their lives and safety.

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For further details contact:

Clifford Machoka u Head of Corporate & Regulatory Affairs u Tel: +254 20 328 8011 u Email: cmachoka@ke.nationmedia.com

About Nation Media Group

Nation Media Group (NMG) was founded by His Highness the Aga Khan in 1959. It was publicly-listed in the Nairobi Stock Exchange since the early 1970s and is the most successful media company in East and Central Africa that currently boasts the largest digital footprint with unique visitors reaching more than 30 million monthly.  It has operations in print, broadcast and digital media, which attract and serve unparalleled audiences in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. The Group publishes the Daily Nation, Business Daily and Taifa Leo newspaper brands in Kenya, The EastAfrican regional newspaper; the Daily Monitor and Enyanda in Uganda, and Mwananchi, The Citizen and Mwanaspoti newspapers in Tanzania and a raft of e-papers and the largest portfolio of digital assets. Also in its stable are NTV Kenya, and NTV Uganda and Spark television stations as well as KFM and Dembe radio stations in Uganda. It also owns the Nation FM radio station in Kenya.