Larry Madowo Condemns Threats and Intimidation Amid Kenya Protest Coverage: “Journalism Is Not a Crime”
Renowned Kenyan journalist and CNN international correspondent Larry Madowo has spoken out strongly against threats, intimidation, and orchestrated attacks allegedly planned against him during his recent reporting on protests in Kenya.
In a candid statement posted on social media, Madowo revealed that he had been the target of a violent plot by hired goons who, according to his account, confessed on camera that they were paid to assault him and destroy his equipment.
“A Kenyan leader has offered paid goons an extra KSh100,000 if they attack me while covering the protests — beat me up, smash our equipment — and they confessed to that on camera because they were not fully paid for the last protests,” Madowo wrote.
While Madowo stopped short of naming the politician allegedly behind the plan, he raised concern over escalating rhetoric from pro-government figures calling for his arrest, accusing him of incitement.
“Some pro-government accounts on social media are calling for me to be arrested for inciting people to violence, even though all we have done is report what’s going on, call out police brutality, and show the people the truth,” he stated.
Madowo’s allegations come amid heightened unrest in Kenya, where youth-led protests — fueled by opposition to the now-withdrawn Finance Bill 2024, economic hardship, and corruption — have rocked major cities. The demonstrations, led in part by Gen Z activists, have been met with heavy police response and growing concern about press freedom and the safety of journalists.
He also revealed that a sitting Member of Parliament had publicly called for his arrest, intensifying fears of a coordinated campaign to silence independent media voices.
View this post on Instagram
“In fact, one lawmaker has also called for me to be arrested. We will not be intimidated. Journalism is not a crime,” Madowo declared.
Though currently outside Kenya on assignment, Madowo clarified that his absence had nothing to do with the threats.
“I’m in Nigeria because we had planned this weeks ago. I could not cancel it — the job is international correspondent, not just Kenya correspondent,” he explained.
The statement has since triggered a wave of solidarity online, with fellow journalists, media watchdogs, and public figures standing behind Madowo and condemning what appears to be a growing hostility toward the press in Kenya.
His defiant affirmation — “Journalism is not a crime” — has quickly become a rallying cry for media freedom, especially at a time when Kenya’s democratic institutions are under intense public scrutiny.
Madowo, known for his fearless reporting both at home and on the global stage, has built a career spotlighting issues of injustice, inequality, and state accountability. From his days at NTV Kenya to his work with the BBC and CNN, he has maintained a commitment to telling stories that matter — even when doing so comes at personal risk.
