A group of journalists from leading media houses found themselves in the line of danger as they covered a NACADA raid at the popular Kettle House Bar and Grill in Kilimani, Nairobi.
The Friday night operation took a violent turn, resulting in injuries, equipment confiscation, and an overall chaotic scene.
The raid, orchestrated by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), aimed to crack down on Shisha smoking at the entertainment joint.
However, the situation quickly spiraled out of control when a multi-agency team, including police officers and NACADA officials, encountered resistance from the club’s bouncers.
The clash unfolded around 11:00 pm when a group of approximately 10 journalists, representing media outlets such as the Standard Group, Nation Media, Citizen TV, KBC, and TV47, arrived to cover the anticipated raid on drug substances.
As they set up to document the events, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
Club bouncers reportedly initiated the violence, attacking both the journalists and the members of the raiding team.
The chaos escalated, leading to injuries sustained by journalists and the confiscation of their equipment.
Standard Group photographer Boniface Okendo bore the brunt of the assault, suffering injuries to his arms and legs while having his camera seized.
“We were attacked last night during a NACADA raid in Kilimani. Other journalists I was with were injured, including a Nation Media Group photographer who was admitted at Agha Khan hospital, and a KBC cameraperson who was stabbed in the back.” Â Okendo revealed,
The intensity of the situation extended to the police officers present, who found themselves under attack as well, further complicating an already tumultuous night.
Despite attempts to resist the assault, journalists struggled against the overwhelming force, with some managing to escape with injuries. Jackson Kibet, a cameraman at the Standard Group, recounted, “They took away my memory card. They ambushed us… we tried fighting back but we were subdued.
The police officers did not help the situation much as they too were attacked.”
