The Committee to Protect Journalists has called for an urgent investigation into the attempted abduction of a senior Kenyan journalist, warning that the incident points to the growing dangers faced by media professionals in the country.
The journalist at the centre of the case is Alex Kiprotich, associate editor of The Standard newspaper group, who said armed men tried to seize him in Nakuru on June 27 while he was on his way to work.
According to Kiprotich, three men dressed in plain clothes intercepted his vehicle and attempted to force their way in. He said the men were carrying AK 47 rifles, but he managed to lock his doors before they could reach him and sped off from the scene.
Kiprotich told the New York based Committee to Protect Journalists that he had already sensed he could become a target because of his role in shaping the newspaper’s headlines. He added that both he and a witness later gave statements to the police.
The attempted kidnapping came just three days after President William Ruto publicly lashed out at The Standard on X, where he accused the media organisation of running hostile and extortionist headlines against him and his administration.
Reacting to the development late Monday, the Committee to Protect Journalists said the incident raises serious concerns about press freedom and the safety of journalists in Kenya, especially as political tensions begin to rise ahead of the next election cycle.
CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal said the attempted forced disappearance of Kiprotich, coming shortly after Ruto’s public attack on The Standard Group, reflects a troubling pattern of intimidation facing journalists in the country. She urged Kenyan authorities to recognise and respect the democratic role of the media in holding power to account and reporting both the achievements and failings of government.
She also called for a thorough police investigation into the incident and demanded an end to the wave of enforced disappearances that rights groups say has become increasingly alarming in Kenya.
Although a police spokesperson reportedly said he was not aware of any attempted abduction, the case has added to growing concerns among rights advocates over the safety of government critics and journalists. Several civil society organisations have documented dozens of abductions in recent years, many of them involving people seen as outspoken against the authorities.
Ruto’s social media post directed at The Standard had appeared unusually aggressive, with the president accusing the newspaper of carrying propaganda against his government. The message was addressed to “GMoi,” a reference to Gideon Moi, son of former President Daniel arap Moi, whose family is the majority owner of The Standard Group.
The Moi family is believed to be backing rival political interests ahead of next year’s elections, adding another layer of tension to the relationship between the newspaper and the presidency.
Kenyan police have repeatedly denied involvement in abductions, despite the growing number of reported cases, especially after the major anti government protests of June and July 2024. President Ruto has previously acknowledged that abductions have taken place and in May 2025 promised to end the practice, saying an accountability mechanism would be introduced to bring perpetrators to justice. So far, that promise has yet to produce visible results.
