MCK demands fair compensation for journalists attacked at Kettle House

The journalists were attacked on Friday night, when the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) was enforcing a crackdown on outlawed shisha substance. 

During the raid, club bouncers assaulted four journalists and four NACADA officers, damaging their equipment and leaving two with stab wounds. 

In a statement on Saturday, MCK condemned the attack, calling on the Inspector General of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions to ensure the perpetrators are charged. 

“While commending the police for their swift action in apprehending the perpetrators, the Council demands fair compensation for the injured journalists and the replacement of all the destroyed media equipment by the proprietor of the club and the individual perpetrators,” the council stated. 

In a similar condemnation, the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) has also demanded that punitive action is taken against the perpetrators. 

“These barbaric acts have no place in a civilized society like Kenya, and we count on law enforcers to hold the owner of the night club liable for the damages and injuries the journalists sustained during the ugly incident,” KUJ said. 

NACADA conducted the sting operation at the club to curb the smoking of shisha, which has been outlawed in Kenya since 2017 after the State banned the use, import, manufacture, distribution and promotion of the tobacco product.

21 suspects were arrested during the operation.