Gilgil-based Human Rights defender Moses Gitonga has condemned the recent abduction of Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich by armed, masked men along the Gilgil-Nakuru road on September 1, 2026 and later released safe near Masinga Dam nine hours later.
In an interview with this writer, Gitonga strongly condemned the incident terming it uncalled for.
According to Gitonga, the incident highlight growing concerns over journalist safety in Kenya.
“Journalists are just messengers and you don’t shoot a messenger. They should be allowed to report and do their work in a safe space,” he stated.
He called on Government of the day to ensure safety of Journalists as they go on with their work for they are people who help shape this nation through their work.
Kiprotich was Taken at around 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, near the Gilgil weighbridge after being trailed from Nairobi.
He was interrogated about Standard Group’s news sources and headlines by four armed men in a Subaru vehicle fitted with a siren.
He was dumped uninjured but shaken near Masinga Dam in Machakos County at around 2:30 a.m. and found safe later that morning.
This followed a previous failed abduction attempt on June 27, 2026, in Nakuru.
The Media Council of Kenya, Kenya Union of Journalists, and other groups strongly condemned the attack as a direct assault on press freedom.
Demands have been made for Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to conduct a transparent inquiry into the state-linked allegations.