Time to protect journalists

The media in Kenya is vibrant and diverse with five national newspapers, all but one published in English. After a successful digital transition two years ago the country has 63 licensed digital terrestrial television stations and 139 FM radio stations. Creating this vibrancy, across all media activity, are an estimated 3,000 journalists.

For many years, Kenya has been the place to run to for journalists from neighbouring countries. It has been the hub where most foreign journalists covering Africa have operated from. However, the sense of Kenya as a safe haven has changed dramatically in recent years. It is a country that has become increasingly unsafe for journalists, bloggers and media workers, who have been forced to operate in an environment of insecurity and impunity. Violence against journalists has become the new normal, rather than the exception.