Global media freedom monitors rank Kenya’s media freedom as partly free. However, in its 2020 Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders ranked Kenya at position 103 out of 108countries down from 100 ranking in 2019.
Acts of Violence which includes physical attacks, harassment, intimidation and politically instigated sacking of journalists are commonly witnessed. In the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, attacks against journalists rose sharply according to media freedom monitors. Media houses have also continuously suffered commercial pressure, negative political rhetoric and judicial intimidation for airing or publishing stories that are deemed critical of the government functionaries, private entities as well as political establishments.
