"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.