Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki, an employee of Mediamax Limited and a reporter for Kameme TV, was wounded by gunfire while covering anti-government protests, alleging she was deliberately targeted by police during the unrest.
Wanjeri, currently recovering from surgery at Annex Hospital in Nakuru, recounted her ordeal, having undergone an operation to remove three rubber bullets from her thigh. She expressed disbelief at being a repeated victim of police aggression.
In her third day of hospitalization, Wanjeri described leaving home around 1:30 pm to report on the protests, only to end up hospitalized with stitches on her thigh. She expressed concern over the potential long-term effects of the injuries inflicted.
Despite clearly wearing a press-labeled jacket, Wanjeri claimed she and other journalists were fired upon while standing together. She mentioned receiving a cautionary call from her mother just minutes before the incident.
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Reflecting on the events leading up to her injury, Wanjeri stated that Tuesday's protests in Nakuru were marked by police singling her out, an experience she believed was not isolated. She referenced a prior encounter with a tear gas canister that caused injury but went unreported.
Moments before being shot, Wanjeri had offered toothpaste to a police officer to alleviate the effects of tear gas. Shortly afterward, she was struck in the thigh by gunfire from a police vehicle.
Addressing the National Police Service directly, Wanjeri expressed confidence in justice being served, asserting her belief that the responsible officer would be held accountable for the shooting.
