Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has condemned a police officer who was captured on film masquerading as a journalist before pouncing on a protester during the Wednesday demos.

MCK CEO David Omwoyo raised concern over rising cases of police officers camouflaging as members of the Fourth Estate in a bid to apprehend participants in anti-government demos.

“Impersonation of journalists by the police is a grave unprofessional misconduct on the part of the police and endangers the lives of journalists in the line of duty,” said Omwoyo.

PHOTO/COURTESY NGUGI

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The cop in plain clothes was filmed joining a group of journalists who were covering demos in Mathare, Nairobi and pretended to record events using his mobile phone before pocketing it then sneaking and pouncing on a male protester unawares and arresting him.

During his arrest, the unarmed man can be heard lamenting that the police had teargassed his child and that is why he was protesting and that he had done nothing wrong but his pleas fall on deaf ears as he his quickly bundled into a waiting police lorry by a contingent of police officers.  

Omwoyo further faulted the police over the arrest of journalists covering the widespread protests against the high cost of living even as he revealed that they were later released.

David Omwoyo. PHOTO/COURTESY

“While the council appreciates the release of journalists who were earlier arrested while covering the protests, the detaining of journalists was unnecessary, arbitrary and ridiculous,” he intimated.

He called on the police to respect the rights of all journalists while executing their duties.

“The work of journalists is protected under Article 33, 34 and 35 of the Constitution, a right that should be respected by all.”