Senior Kenya Journalist Escapes Abduction After Criticism of President

Nairobi: The Committee to Protect Journalists late on Monday called for an investigation into the attempted kidnapping of a senior journalist in Kenya, following President William Ruto’s angry criticism of his newspaper.

Rights groups have reported dozens of kidnappings of government critics in Kenya in recent years.

Alex Kiprotich, associate editor of The Standard newspaper group, said heavily armed men tried to capture him as he was on his way to work in Nakuru city on June 27.

Three plainclothes men carrying AK-47 assault rifles blocked his car and tried to open his door, but Kiprotich was able to lock the doors in time and speed away.

“As the person responsible for The Standard’s headlines, I knew I was becoming a target,” Kiprotich told the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), adding that he and a witness gave statements to police.

A police spokesman told AFP he was unaware of any kidnapping attempt.

CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal called for a police investigation and said: “President William Ruto’s attempt to forcibly remove Alex Kiprotich three days after he attacked the Standard Group reflects the increasing dangers journalists face in Kenya.”

“Kenyan authorities must respect the democratic role of the media in commenting on the government’s achievements and shortcomings ahead of next year’s elections and put an end to this appalling trend of enforced disappearances,” he added.

The incident took place just three days after Ruto criticized The Standard on X.

The posts were not in Ruto’s usual statesmanlike tone and appeared to be a crude attempt to copy US President Donald Trump’s erratic social media style.

“Your STANDARD media’s propaganda HEADLINES about me 5 days a week and the transformative history of my administration will lead you NOTHING and NOWHERE,” Ruto shared.

He posted to “GMoi,” referring to Gideon Moi, son of former president Daniel arap Moi, whose family is the majority owner of The Standard.

The family is supporting rival candidates ahead of next year’s elections.

Police have often denied involvement in the kidnappings, which peaked in the months after major protests in June-July 2024.

Ruto acknowledged the kidnappings were taking place but promised to stop them in May 2025, saying an “accountability mechanism” would bring those responsible to justice. This hasn’t happened yet.