The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has demanded an immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation into the abduction of Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich.
In a statement issued Wednesday, MCK Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo called on Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to urgently establish the circumstances surrounding Kiprotich’s abduction along the Gilgil–Nakuru Road on Tuesday night. Kiprotich was forcibly taken by armed men shortly before 9:20 p.m. and was found dumped near Masinga Dam in Machakos County nine hours later.
MCK asserted that Kenya’s security agencies possess the intelligence capacity to investigate and apprehend those targeting journalists, warning that a failure to act fosters a climate of impunity.
MCK highlighted that this marks the second attempt on Kiprotich’s safety. A previous attempted abduction occurred in Nakuru County on June 27, which was reported to the police but yielded no arrests or progress reports.
Citing Article 34 of the Constitution, MCK emphasized that the state bears the ultimate responsibility to protect journalists from harassment and guarantee press freedom, calling attacks on media workers a threat to democracy.
Standard Group CEO Chaacha Mwita strongly condemned the incident, linking the targeted attack to Kiprotich’s investigative coverage and alleging potential state involvement aimed at intimidating the press.
MCK revealed that several cases involving press freedom violations have been submitted to the Inspector General of Police, with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directing police to act on select cases within 30 days. The Council urged human rights and oversight bodies to maintain pressure until those responsible are brought to justice.
