Writing stories in blood and tears in Kenya's dark days

By the time he passed away on April 26, 2008, Gichere was a pale shadow of the photojournalist he once was. [File, Standard]

Scenes of bleeding journalists crawling out of smoking cars, coughing their lungs out under police fire evoke memories of the dark days when writing unflattering government stories provided an automatic ticket to hell, jail, or the hospital.

Kenya's history is littered with anecdotes of journalists with broken bones and shattered hopes for penning stories or capturing images that were thought to be criticising the government.