Kenya Journalists Receive Death Threats

Five journalists working in Nairobi have received death threats, apparently from the Mungiki, an underground Kikuyu sect in Kenya. One of the five had received prior threats.

Five journalists working in Nairobi have received death threats from persons unknown. Reporters Without Borders, according to an AllAfrica report, has urged the government of Kenya to do all it can to determine who sent the threats and to punish them. "These threats must be taken seriously because the killers have already followed through on their threats once with an opposition legislator," the press freedom organisation said. "Kenya's journalists have behaved very responsibly since the start of the unrest and we will not stand for their being treated like this. We express our solidarity with those who have been threatened and their fellow journalists." The death threats were received just after the murder of ODM parliamentarian Melitus Mugabe Were. The reporters who received the threats are Linus Kaikai, managing editor of TV station KTN, Kipkoech Tanui, managing editor of The Standard newspaper, Joseph Odindo, managing editor of the Nation Media Group, Robert Nagila, a journalist with NTV, and Paul Ilado, a journalist radio Kiss FM and political news editor of the Nairobi Star newspaper. The threats claim to come from the Mungiki, an underground Kikuyu sect feared for its especially barbaric murders, the message said: "Today we invaded Woodley Estate. You are going to see what happens to you." Ilado had received anonymous threatening phone calls on Jan. 25 after writing an article for the Nairobi Star about 10 NGO leaders forced to live in hiding for fear of reprisals. He turned his mobile phone off but continued to get threatening messages saying he would be "beheaded." The messages made reference to his home and car.