STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS

 By Janelle Okongo

Journalists are the key propellers of information. They perform their job to their best level in ensuring information reaches wide audience. Journalists sacrifices a lot and go extra mile endangering their lives, with an intention of keeping the world informed.

Politicians should accord much more respect to the media personnel. It is through these individuals that politicians are able to speak to large masses across the world without in person interactions. They should refrain from behaving in uncivility manner by deploying goons to intimidate journalists. Their presence in rallies should not be muddled up with role of a spy. The purpose of journalism is neither pleasing those who hold power nor covering events for personal gain. Journalists collect, investigate, analyses and report all beats full of facts.

Journalists are being assaulted through physical attacks and verbal threats with the aim to silence them. Violation takes form of murder, kidnap, cyber-bullying and public shaming. According to surveys conducted by Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), nearly 50 per cent of those whose death was confirmed to be related to their work as journalists, were murdered, 36 per cent caught in crossfire and 14 per cent killed while on dangerous assignments. NGO’s statistics, depicts that 36 per cent of political groups were the likely source of violence.

The government in collaboration with bodies like Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and Kenya Union of Journalists (KNJ) should look into matter affecting media personnel and probably help curb all violence attributed to this profession. The bodies should come up with laws that protects journalists. Culprits who violates such laws, should be hold responsible and charged heavily in court of law. The rights and freedom of journalists, should be made known to them. They will be able to speak up whenever mishandled. Journalism is life, lets guard it.





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