Josiah Odanga- a Siaya based Print Media Journalist is not a happy man after the media house he writes for suspended him from duties until a case he filed with the police is heard and determined.
This is a case in which the scribe who had attended a function on January 20, 2024 was assaulted by people he terms as colleagues in the Media industry.
According to Odanga, he was on official duty on the fateful day in Gem constituency of Siaya County when this happened.
He is however surprised that no arrest has been made so far despite him following the legal procedure and reported the matter at Yala Police station.
“I was injured and filled the P3 Form, went for treatment and even reported the matter to Yala Police station where I recorded statement, but no one has been arrested so far,” he said in a press release to Newsrooms.
The purtubed scribe says he has been following the matter with police only to be told that the matter is with the Office of Director of Public Prosecution(ODPP).
He is now appealing to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution to expedite the case and ensure that the female journalist and others who assaulted him are brought to book.
Odanga has also hit at the Media Council of Kenya on how they Regulatory body handled the matter.
“I am not happy with how MCK handled the matter with blanket condemnation without even looking on the two sides of the story,” said Odanga.
He says he has raised the issues with MCK but he was never taken serious.
According to him, the MCK’s press on January 23, 2024 was a rush as no proper investigations had been done by Police who are mandated to investigate such criminal aspects.
“The Media Council of Kenya rushed with condemnation yet they are not even mandated to investigate matters of criminality as was in my case,” he said.
To make matters worse, he was summoned to Kisumu MCK’s office over the same.
He says, this happened only four days after the attack but then he requested CEO David Omwoyo that he should not discuss more on the case as it was being investigated.
An idea that Omwoyo granted an okay allowing him to keep off the case.
Odanga has distanced himself from MCK’s claim that the case was as a result of handouts and even has written to MCK over his displeasure on the same.
He says, he has a reputation as a Journalist who respects rule of law and cannot allow any individual to mess up his career.
“My reputation cannot be soiled by individuals based on unreliable information,” he says.
The scribe whose contract has been suspended by employer says it’s so saddening that the MCK has not reached out to him, but he cannot practice as his accreditation has also been suspended by MCK.
Odanga wonders why he is the one to suffer in all these while those who assaulted him are free and going on with their professional duties.
His prayers are that Media Council of Kenya will retract the previous statements issued and support him through the court of laws so that the case can be addressed and Justice served.
Author: Pristone Mambili
A trained Journalist with passion for Radio and online Writing.