NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 6 – Kettle House Bar and Grill in Nairobi is on the spot after several journalists accompanying police officers on a Shisha raid were stabbed.
The Friday night confrontation resulted in several journalists from various media outlets sustaining severe injuries as others had their equipment damaged.
The raid was conducted by officials from the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada), who were accompanied by police officers.
Shisha smoking is prohibited in Kenya, with offenders facing legal penalties.
The operation was aimed at the establishment due to reports of it permitting patrons to smoke shisha within the club, which has connections to politician Millicent Omanga.
During the raid, the journalists and police officers were met with violence when they arrived at the bar around 11 pm targeting club managers and patrons for allegedly engaging in shisha smoking, an activity prohibited by law.
Bouncers at the club aggressively confronted the journalists, assaulting them and forcibly confiscating their recording equipment. In the ensuing chaos, several journalists were injured, and their valuable possessions and cash were stolen.
Among the victims of the altercation was Boniface Bogita, a Nation Media photographer, who was stabbed twice in the ribs but is reported to be in stable condition.
Jane Kibira, a journalist from the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, was also stabbed in the back, while Boniface Okendo and Francis Odee, both from the Standard Media Group, were physically assaulted, and their cameras were confiscated and destroyed.
Police officers eventually managed to regain control of the situation and arrested the bouncers who had fled, changed their attire, and sought refuge in the bar’s toilets to avoid apprehension. The authorities arrested a total of 21 individuals during the incident, and a knife believed to have been used in the stabbings was recovered.
Neighbourhood residents had previously raised concerns about the club, citing its habit of playing loud music without repercussions despite numerous complaints.
The operation against shisha was led by Nacada Chief Executive Officer Antony Omerikwa and Head of Enforcement Nicholas Kosgei. Kosgei noted that during the raid, police officers successfully arrested multiple suspects and confiscated numerous shisha pots used within the club.
Kenya banned shisha in 2017, encompassing all aspects, including use, import, manufacture, sale, promotion, and distribution. Offenders face fines starting at Sh50,000 or a minimum jail term of six months. Kenya joined neighbouring East African countries Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda in prohibiting the use of shisha.
The agency has affirmed its commitment to continuing similar operations in other establishments. In 2017, Kenya introduced a comprehensive ban on shisha, encompassing advertising, promotion, distribution, and encouragement or facilitation of its use. The government reiterated its stance on the ban and penalties for violations when it was announced on December 27, 2017.
