An editor at one of Kenya's largest newspapers, The Standard, was kidnapped by armed men late Tuesday and later found near a dam more than 200 kilometers away, his employer said Wednesday.
Alex Kiprotich was taken from a car around 9:20 p.m. on a road near the city of Nakuru. Dashcam footage released by the newspaper shows a white vehicle blocking the road, with four men in civilian clothes and masked faces emerging, some holding firearms and others baseball bats. They converge on the car and drag Kiprotich away.
About nine hours later, a Standard Group team led by CEO Chaacha Mwita located Kiprotich near Masinga Dam. The newspaper stated he was "safe, though understandably shaken by his ordeal." The Standard is known for its critical coverage of President William Ruto's government.
The Standard Group expressed suspicion of state involvement, with CEO Chaacha Mwita saying the "abduction bears all the hallmarks of a targeted attack on a journalist for doing his job." The outlet, which is government-critical, vowed to press for full accountability.
This incident occurs amid a worrying trend in Kenya, where dozens of government critics and activists have been abducted this year, according to a report released this week. Human rights groups have accused state agencies of orchestrating such abductions, a practice that has become more common since the anti-government protests in 2024.
Kiprotich had previously escaped an attempted kidnapping in June, which came three days after Ruto criticized The Standard Group on social media. The Kenya Editors' Guild expressed shock and outrage, calling the abduction "a disturbing escalation in the intimidation and targeting of journalists in Kenya." Amnesty International Kenya demanded an independent investigation, citing "serious concerns for media freedom."
Police and government officials have not yet commented on the incident. The case highlights the growing risks faced by journalists in Kenya and the erosion of press freedom under the current administration, which has been accused of silencing dissent through extrajudicial means.
Source: www.dw.com