Why Is Justice for Assaulted Journalists Still Delayed?

Journalists are the light bearers of the masses keeping the public informed while holding government institutions and leaders to account. Yet for decades, journalists have been attacked, and many have paid the ultimate price in pursuit of the truth.

Some have been threatened with death, forced to disappear, or pushed out of the profession entirely. Why? Because those meant to be exposed are often the very ones orchestrating the threats.

During the national commemoration of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists held on November 3, 2025 at Sarova Woodlands Nakuru, Mr. Eric Oduor, Secretary General of the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), revealed that the union continues to receive assault reports raising a painful question: Why is justice still being delayed?

As the saying goes: Justice delayed is justice denied.

There are numerous cases where the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has been compelled to abandon proceedings. This is often due to failures by the police or the Directorate of Criminal Investigations whether through poor investigations, deliberate misconduct, or missing evidence critical for conviction.

In some cases, those implicated in journalistic investigations have been linked to threats raising serious concerns about abuse of power.

For transparency and accountability to thrive, integrity must be upheld. Regulations must be enforced. One of the most pressing issues raised at the forum was the fractured relationship between key institutions.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), represented by the Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Mr. Tom Imbali, and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), represented by Mr. Josephat Kaimenyi (Nakuru Regional Coordinator), were both present.

Yet despite a shared concern the assault of journalists there was no unified front. No clear accountability.

Instead, the forum exposed a troubling pattern: blame-shifting between institutions. This bureaucratic infighting, though rarely acknowledged, is a major driver of judicial paralysis. And it is this paralysis that allows perpetrators to walk free.

What emerged as most urgent and most obvious was the need for cooperative leadership, shared responsibility, and a unified commitment to justice. Because every assault on a journalist is not just an attack on an individual. It is an attack on democracy and society.

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