Criminal gangs, political activists and police officers carried out most attacks on journalists in Kenya last quarter, according to a new Media Council of Kenya (MCK) report cited by The Eastleigh Voice. These groups were linked to 29 of the 47 press freedom violations recorded between July and September 2026, the first quarter of the 2026/2027 financial year.
Gangs and political activists were linked to 17 cases and police officers to 12. Politicians were named as perpetrators in eight cases. In six cases, the attackers could not be identified. Bodyguards, county government officials and bandits were each linked to one case.
Physical attacks were by far the most common violation, with 34 cases. The council recorded five threats, two arrests and two cases of intimidation. There was one case each of abduction, harassment, threat and assault, and surveillance. Male journalists were affected in 36 cases and female journalists in nine. The MCK cautioned that the figures do not mean women face fewer risks. It said men are more often assigned high-risk stories.
Nairobi recorded the most violations, with 13 cases. Homa Bay followed with eight, then Meru with seven and Bungoma with six. Nyandarua had four cases. Embu, Nakuru and Mombasa had two each, and Garissa had one.
The total is the highest in three years. The MCK recorded 24 violations in July-September 2024 and 17 in the same period of 2025.
Rebecca Mutiso, the MCK manager for press freedom, safety and advocacy, presented the report. She warned that the situation could worsen as the country approaches the next General Election. She said some journalists already fear covering election activities. Mutiso said Kenya rose to 106th in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index but remains in the red zone. "Rankings mean nothing without ending impunity," she said, calling for collective action to protect journalists.
Kenya ranks highest of the six East African countries in the index. Tanzania is 117th, Burundi 119th, DR Congo 130th, Uganda 131st and Rwanda 139th.