Kenya journalist escapes abduction after criticism of president - CPJ

A senior journalist in Kenya narrowly escaped an attempted abduction, an incident that rights groups say reflects the increasing dangers faced by media professionals in the country. Alex Kiprotich, an associate editor at The Standard newspaper group, reported that heavily armed men tried to seize him on June 27 as he commuted to work in Nakuru.

Kiprotich recounted how three men armed with AK-47 assault rifles intercepted his car and attempted to open his doors. He managed to lock his doors and speed away. "As the person responsible for The Standard’s headlines, I knew I had become a target," Kiprotich told the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). He and a witness have provided statements to the police, though a police spokesman stated he was unaware of any attempted abduction.

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As the person responsible for The Standard’s headlines, I knew I had become a target.

The CPJ Africa Director, Angela Quintal, condemned the incident, stating, "The attempt to forcibly disappear Alex Kiprotich, three days after President William Ruto railed against The Standard Group, reflects the growing dangers that journalists face in Kenya." Quintal called for a police investigation and urged Kenyan authorities to respect the media's role ahead of next year's elections.

The incident occurred just three days after President Ruto criticized The Standard on X, formerly Twitter. Ruto's posts, described as not being in his usual statesman-like tone, targeted the newspaper's coverage of his administration. The CPJ noted that abductions of government critics have been reported in Kenya in recent years, and while Ruto has acknowledged such incidents and vowed to stop them, an "accountability mechanism" has yet to materialize.

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The attempt to forcibly disappear Alex Kiprotich, three days after President William Ruto railed against The Standard Group, reflects the growing dangers that journalists face in Kenya.