Sifuna: We cannot help those uncomfortable with #BloodParliament exposé

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has censured individuals who are faulting the BBC documentary exposing police officers who shot dead protestors during the 2024 anti-government protests at Parliament buildings in Nairobi.

This after leaders, among them Homa Bay MP Peter Kaluma, called for the banning of the BBC from Kenya after the exposé, terming it “reckless”, “inciteful” and “twisted”.

Taking to X, Senator Sifuna noted that attempts to curtail media freedom shall not be feasible and the events of the fateful day were factually reported.

“Speaking as someone who was present in Parliament that day, the events depicted in the #BloodParliament documentary by #BBCAfricaEye are not fabrications,” he noted.

“The story of June 25th, 2024 is already written and as they say, the ink is dry. Those attempting to rewrite it will find it especially difficult because this particular piece of history is written in blood.”

The political firebrand added that stories exposing societal and political ills should be encouraged to administer justice.

“Those who are uncomfortable with this are wrestling with their own consciences and we cannot help them with that,” he added.

Minutes after the exposé was published, MP Kaluma took to X saying that the “Blood Parliament” documentary is “intended to incite chaos in Kenya”.

He added: “The relevant agencies of the Government of Kenya must act fast to withdraw @BBCAfrica licence in Kenya.”

Kaluma however deleted the post after heaped backlash from the public and reposted a watered-down statement on Tuesday morning, reiterating that the BBC should be ‘sanctioned’.

“The Capitol Hill, the seat of Parliament in the United States was breached; and, @BBCWorld didn’t publish a documentary “Blood Parliament”. It is unfortunate @BBCAfrica has not been sanctioned, over 24 hours after publishing that distorted documentary “Blood Parliament”, which by its title, timing and twisted content, is clearly intended to distabilise Kenya. We shouldn’t allow reckless journalists to use foreign media to destabilise Kenya. Sanction @BBCAfrica.”

The exposé singles out security officers believed to have instructed officers to kill, as well as those who pulled the trigger and killed three young men.

Investigators said they analysed more than 5,000 images to piece together the sequence of events on June 25 and the placement of both the victims and the shooters.

Meanwhile, IPOA has elucidated that 60 deaths have been registered from the protests, investigations into 22 have been completed, while actively pursuing 36, with two currently before the courts.