By Nelly Moraa
NAIROBI, KENYA — Kenya is approaching the 2027 General Election with rising concern over journalism safety. In commemoration of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDECI) 2026, economic injustice, heightened surveillance, physical assault, digital warfare from verified accounts intimidating journalists, and increasing unregulated social media spaces were singled out as threats to journalism.
Targeted harassment was on the rise across mainstream media, pushing press freedom into a historic crisis.
Addressing the national theme, “Enhancing Journalists’ Safety and Protection Mechanisms ahead of the 2027 General Election,” leaders from the MCK, IAWRT-Kenya, the Kenya Editors’ Guild (KEG), UNESCO, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) demanded an immediate shift from rhetorical commitments to structural enforcement.
“When people holding positions of power accuse journalists and threaten them publicly, they encourage other people to attack them,” stated MCK Chief Executive Officer Mr. David Omwoyo. “Someone must hold these public figures to account.”
The Institutional Tracker and the War on Women Journalists
MCK CEO David Omwoyo directly linked hostile public rhetoric to rising attacks, urging journalists to report violations through available hotlines.
MCK data revealed 47 distinct attacks and threats against media workers between July and September 2026 alone, including 34 physical assaults and 5 verbal threats driven largely by political goons and security forces.
Amplifying these dangers, UNESCO reported an alarming 83% impunity rate for crimes against journalists in Africa, with only 29 of 171 recorded killings resolved since 2006.
“Women face disproportionate threats, not only for what they report, but simply because they are women. Too often these attacks are met with silence, impunity, inaction. We aim to create coordinated pathways for institutional response”, said Lea Simonini, UNESCO’s consultant and representative.
Globally, over 700 election-period attacks were documented, with 73% of female journalists facing severe online abuse leading to offline assaults.
UNESCO is in partnership with IAWRT_Kenya to address impunity through a Mapping Violation observatory. IAWRT Kenya Chapter Chairperson Josephine Karani emphasized that the portal – https://report.iawrt.or.ke/ – serves as more than a simple database
“This map is not just a tool. It’s a call to action. The value of the observatory lies not only in recording incidents but also in creating evidence that can inform advocacy, litigation, and engagement with national, regional, and international institutions.”
International Association of Kenya Chairperson Josephine Karani said the tool is a monitoring tool that builds evidence to pursue violations against women, linking victims to institutions that offer justice mechanisms to address impunity. The IAWRT Mapping Tool links verified cases to law enforcement and legal aid through the Pan African Lawyers Legal Unit (PALU)
Africa Media Lawyers Network: William Oketch raised concerns regarding the legal intimidation tactics used against survivors.
“Too many victims are systematically intimidated, threatened, or financially drained into entirely abandoning their pursuit of justice,” Oketch warned.
He emphasized that the legal system is often weaponized by powerful entities to wear down media practitioners, making robust, free pro bono legal networks a necessity. He revealed that they are in talks as a network to pursue reported press violations and file public interest litigation to address rising impunity.
Representing the state, the Principal Secretary (PS) through Information and Broadcasting Secretary Temesi Mukani reaffirmed the government’s support for media safety, emphasizing that state entities are committed to safeguarding constitutional provisions.
The ODPP, represented by Senior Deputy Director Ms. Jacinta Nyamosi, pointed to recent convictions such as a 15-year prison sentence for attackers and ongoing prosecutions involving senior police officers as proof that accountability is possible. She, however, urged journalists and media houses to enhance their safety and ensure they do not go to dangerous zones while fully exposed.
“True safety requires an active partnership and an agreed safety checking arrangement. While the state is duty-bound to protect all citizens, we must also recognize that on the ground, tactical safety often begins with the journalist. Conduct risk assessments, work in teams, maintain regular communication with your newsroom, identify safe exit routes, and wear appropriate protective equipment. Avoid positioning yourselves between opposing groups and unnecessarily exposing yourselves to crossfire or hostile crowd dynamics, as no story is worth a journalist’s life.
Meanwhile, IPOA acknowledged challenges in tracking rogue officers during chaotic protests but promised to fast-track media files, advising newsrooms to conduct strict pre-assignment risk assessments and map out exit routes. Mugambi Munene of IPOA said they have some 14 files before them but were facing challenges due to a lack of cooperation from police officers and victims.
“We should be commended for managing to process at least two files; seeking information from the police and processing these for prosecution is not an easy task,” he said.
Committee to Protect Journalists Africa Program Coordinator Muthoki Mumo called for the urgent need to ensure all accredited journalists have economic safety nets like insurance. She said leaving 71% of operational field reporters with zero health insurance means the entire risk of physical injury or state retaliation is borne by the journalist.
Journalists who have been victims of physical attacks and arrests spoke of an increasingly hostile work environment, with colleagues acting as spies for news sources. Francis Odee and Ngina Kirori, both investigative journalists, claimed constant monitoring and also intimidation from verified accounts on social media.
Kenya Editors’ Guild President Zubeida Kananu indicted administrative bodies tasked with defending the press, calling current institutional protective frameworks “insincere” in the face of rising violence targeting journalists.
“We remain relentless in calling for an end to attacks and threats against journalists,” Kananu stated. “However, no substantial progress has been achieved, and violence targeting the media has heightened.”
Kenya marks IDEI in the face of rising challenges in the media sector that has witnessed disruptions, a rise in alternative media platforms with huge following by content creators who are not regulated or governed by any laws complicating Kenya’s media professional landscape. A recent survey by MCK and KUJ also revealed poor remuneration that has triggered depression and poverty amongst journalists, and a threat to press freedom.
Share this story
Are you a woman working in media?
Join IAWRT Kenya for training, mentorship, fellowships and a supportive network of women media practitioners.
More stories
- All Posts
- Articles
- Mentorship
- Networking
Home › Blog › Articles Threats Evolve, Impunity Endures: Media Stakeholders In Unified Talks Over Election Safety Roadmap 4 November 2026 10...
Home › Blog › Articles IAWRT Enhances its Observatory on Monitoring and Reporting Violations Against Female Journalists in Africa 2 November 2026...
Home › Blog › Articles Protecting Journalists in Kenya’s Digital Space: Why Media and Tech Policy Must Be Rights-Based 18 October 2026...