The Communications Authority of Kenya ordered that the commemoration of the 2024 protests not be covered. Photo: File
As Kenyans flooded the streets of Nairobi on 25 June in commemoration of the first anniversary of the Maandamano (protests) and the 7 July the Saba Saba protests, the coverage of journalist Larry Madowo stood out.
The Communication Authority of Kenya had ordered all broadcasters to desist from live coverage of the Maandamano and Saba Saba protests, an action that kept press freedom under siege. But CNN’s Madowo still defied this.
The peaceful protests were geared towards remembering the 60 fallen victims opposing the Finance Bill in 2024 and against gross human rights violations and inequalities.
Saba Saba Day commemorates the 7 July 1990 protests, when Kenyans demanded a multi-party democracy.
Press freedom is the cornerstone of democratic societies. The communication authority’s undemocratic actions violated articles 33 and 34 of Kenya’s Constitution and suffocated digital civic spaces, free press and the independence of media.
Madowo, a former BBC North America and Kenya Television (KTV) correspondent from Siaya county, captured the live protests in video recordings, interviewing protestors and broadcasting to inform the world of the developing stories.
“Police fired tear gas to disperse thousands who took to the streets to mark the one year anniversary of anti-government protests that left dozens of dead”, among other tragic incidents, Madowo reported.
How would the world have known that 300 people were wounded, 67 in a critical condition and 10 dead during the Saba Saba protests when Kenya’s army and police responded?
One might argue that Madowo was doing exactly what he is paid for by CNN, but he has been threatened by pro-Ruto government apologists and covering such events is courageous.
On 7 July, Madowo posted on X that an attempt on his life had been made and pro-government voices had called for his arrest.
He also uses his digital social handles to counteract misinformation and disinformation by providing information on what is actually happening. For example, in the case of Boniface Kariuki’s death, the Kenyan police said he had attacked a police station but the vendor was selling masks to make a living as usual.
Journalism is the pursuit of truth no matter who it is against it. It is the pillar that holds governance accountable in democratic societies.
In this age and era, journalism is facing occupational hazards. Not only are journalists threatened, governments are trying to turn them into proxy public relations officers, prompting them to alter the truth and breed disinformation in news rooms, an act aimed at destroying the independence of the media.
This is also an era of the internet and artificial intelligence where social media can trend with fabricated stories, escalating disinformation and misinformation.
It is an era of the rise of non-professional citizen journalists where anyone with a smartphone can provide news, which can be positive, but not if it hasn’t been fact checked.
This is an age in which journalists are cyberstalked, surveilled, harassed online, while on the front line they are beaten and their cameras confiscated by security officials.
Amid such occupational hazards, reporting such as Madowo did during the Maandamano anniversary reminds the profession to remain firm and strong.
Driving public discourse and amplifying the voices of the marginalised is key to promoting transparency and accountability in democratic societies.
We should all stand tall and protect journalists who have dedicated their lives to informing and educating us because, by protecting them, we protect our freedoms and societies.
It is upon journalists themselves to be ethical and professional and to separate journalism from activism and public relations. Unless they do so, they are no different from bloggers for hire.
Without safeguarding freedom of the press, independence and viability of the media a society is not democratic.
Robert Kigongo is a sustainable development analyst. [email protected]