Journalist David Ochami of the Kenya Times was arrested yesterday in Kenya for writing an article which criticized President Mwai Kibaki's handling of a constitutional review and said that a coup would not be "inherently bad for the country".
"We do not know exactly why he was arrested but, as of now, we think it is in regards to an opinion article that was published by our Sunday edition," Kenya Times editor-in-chief Chriss Odwesso said. Odweso condemned the arrest, terming it an attempt to gag the media.
Ochami was arrested shortly before noon in the newspaper office in Nairobi. His house was also searched, and notebooks were confiscated by police. He was driven to the police headquarters and interrogated for hours before being whisked away to an unknown destination.
Police said Ochami may be charged today with incitement. "We first want to know his motive of writing the article. He is safe," a senior officer told the Kenya Standard.
AFP reports that in the article in question Ochami wrote, "There is no guarantee that a coup or other ouster of the president involves bloodshed or is inherently bad for the country. Likewise, (a) democratic mandate such as Kibaki's in 2002 is no excuse to betray the ideals that brought (him) in to power.”
A joint statement signed by representatives of the Kenya People's Democratic Movement (KEPEDEMO Mapinduzi), Kenya Socialist Democratic Alliance, Kenya Social Forum in Norway (KSF - Norway), Organization of Kenyans in Denmark (OKD),and the Association of Kenyan Students in Finland (AKSIF) stated:
“In the article, Mr. Ochami was answering the increasingly familiar and
alarmist outbursts of Mirungi Kariuki and David Mwiraria (Kibaki's key
sycophants) who had suggested that imaginary anti-Kibaki forces
(advocates of the "No" vote in the coming referendum) were out to overthrow
the Kibaki regime.”
“There is a crisis of leadership in Kenya and the only reason why Kibaki is still in power is because there is no credible alternative political force
that can effectively lead workers and the youth to power. If Kibaki has
started arresting Journalists now, what will he do when he loses the
referendum in November or when he senses defeat at the 2007 General
elections? Will we see a return to detention without trial?”
“A revolutionary Movement or Party armed with a revolutionary theory and
a clear revolutionary Program for democratic change and transformation
is urgently needed in Kenya to show the way out of the blind alleys of
the rotten capitalist class rule now tampering with Press freedom in
our country, intimidating and arresting journalists, looting the economy
and using the huge security apparatus as a powerful tool for oppression
KANU style.”
“We will oppose any charges brought against Ochami and dramatize his
case in the International arena in case the government goes ahead to press
for bogus charges against a conscious Journalist who was simply doing
his work. Kenyans should resist a small gang of wealth grabbers calling
themselves government to hold back a struggle that has been going on
for more than 4 decades.” Sources: The Standard (Kenya), SAPA, AFP, Kenya Socialist Web Site, The Star (South Africa)
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