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Several journalists from different media houses sustained injuries after they were attacked by a group of people during a raid by the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) in Nairobi on Friday night.
The journalists were covering the operation that targeted a bar in Lavington, Nairobi, where Nacada officials suspected illegal sale and consumption of alcohol and drugs. According to the journalists, they were filming the raid when they were confronted by some people who claimed to be the owners of the bar.
The attackers accused the journalists of invading their privacy and demanded that they delete the footage. When the journalists refused, they were assaulted with stones, bottles, and metal rods. Some of the attackers also tried to snatch the cameras and other equipment from the journalists.
The Nacada officials who were conducting the raid did not intervene to stop the violence, the journalists said. They also alleged that some of the Nacada officials were in collusion with the bar owners and had tipped them off about the raid.
The injured journalists were rushed to various hospitals for treatment. Some of them suffered head injuries, fractures, and cuts. The journalists condemned the attack and called for action against the perpetrators.
The Nacada chairman, Dr. John Mututho, said he was not aware of the incident and promised to investigate the matter. He said that Nacada was committed to fighting the menace of alcohol and drug abuse in the country and would not tolerate any interference with its operations.
The police said they had launched a probe into the incident and would arrest the suspects soon. They also urged the public to cooperate with the authorities in the war against substance abuse.
