KUJ condemns raids on two newsrooms by the police
KUJ Secretary-General Eric Oduor at a past event.
The Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) has condemned the recent raids on two-Chinese run newsrooms by the police.
KUJ boss Eric Oduor said the raid on offices of the Nairobi-based China Daily newspapers and CGTN under the guise of a crackdown on illegal immigrants was misuse of State authority.
“While it is government’s responsibility to maintain law and order, it is disturbing that police officers have stormed newsrooms to violently arrest journalists, whom the government has since established are in the country legally,” Mr Oduor said on Saturday while asking officials to work with employers and countercheck information before conducting such raids.
“There are better ways the government can clamp down on foreign workers who do not have the requisite documents.”
Mr Oduor added that workers at the British Broadcasting Corporation were harassed by officers from Kileleshwa Police, Nairobi Station last month.
He asked the government to seal the loopholes at the Immigration Department, arguing that no foreigners with no permits would find their way into the country without being helped by aided by immigration officers.
