Siaya Journalist Assaulted By Colleagues in Scramble to Cover Function By Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo

A journalist attached to Radio Africa Group suffered a blow to the head from a female colleague in a scramble to cover a function at Rariuw Primary School in Gem Constituency on Saturday.

The event was hosted by area MP Elisha Ochieng Odhiambo Akuba who witnessed the disbursement of bursary cheques to students joining Form One.

The incident has been reported at the Siaya Police Headquarters under OB No 42/20/01/24.

According to eyewitness reports Josiah Odanga the Star correspondent for Siaya was insulted and physically assaulted by two journalists who blocked him and other journalists from covering the event.

A male reporter from a vernacular radio station had an altercation with Odanga about why he had turned up to cover the event without receiving an invite. In the course of the argument, a female television reporter from a national broadcaster jumped Odanga causing him grievous injury on the head.

“She first wanted to hit me with a camera tripod but I disarmed her before she hit my head with the camera itself, causing a dent on my head that led to profuse bleeding,” Odanga said.

While bleeding profusely from a gaping wound in the head Odanga was rushed to Siaya Referral Hospital and the matter was subsequently reported to the police.

In the melee, his mobile phone and a watch were damaged.

It turns out that the journalists had an ongoing grudge.

“I had initially criticised them for wanting to limit journalists who are accredited by the Media Council of Kenya from covering news in any part of Siaya County, and even the country at large,” Odanga explained.

He further explains that there’s been a turf war among members of the Fourth Estate with the colleagues who attacked him for discriminating against non-natives of Siaya covering certain functions.

“To them, it seems, Siaya County is theirs to work in and dominate. For instance, they call me Ja’ South, meaning a person from South Nyanza,” explained Odanga.

He is now appealing to the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) to intervene and rein in quacks who masquerade as journalists and journalists who unethically seek to monopolise news sources.

Meanwhile, Gem MP Elisha Ochieng Odhiambo Akuba has offered profuse apologies to the Star reporter following the unfortunate incident.

 

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