All four filmmakers Nick Wambugu, Brian Adagala,Chris Wamae, and Mark Karubiu, who were arrested in connection with the production of the BBC expose #BloodParliament have now been released.
The duo was arrested in a police raid at their studio in Karen Village, Nairobi. The arrests were linked to the recent BBC documentary #BloodParliament, which exposed the involvement of state security forces in the violent suppression of protestors during the #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests in 2024.
While Karubiu and Adagala are actively involved in the frontline of exposing human rights violations, bad governance, and corruption at Sema Ukweli, none of them was part of the filming of the BBC expose.
They were initially detained at two separate police stations: Wambugu and Adagala at Pangani Police Station, and Karubiu and Wamae at Muthaiga Police Station. They were held for over 24 hours without formal charges, and their equipment remains in police custody.
The widespread criticism on social media, with many questioning the grounds for their detention largely influenced their release but still, sets a dangerous precedent on the future of filmaking and journalism. It creates fear within creative communities, discouraging future efforts to document or challenge state overreach.
Speaking on incident, activist Boniface Mwangi noted that ‘Today is World Press Freedom Day, but there is no freedom of press, expression, association, or even protest in Kenya,” None of them were involved in its production. Investigative stories involve small teams, and everyone is engaged on a needs basis. Those of us who featured in the documentary were interviewed by BBC cameraman. Arresting innocent people and confiscating their hard disks and equipment is criminal behaviour by Ruto’s regime.” He added.
Image Credits: Africa Uncensored