Police assault at Dandora Stadium leaves Nation journalist admitted in hospital
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 28.04.25. | 17:48
Omollo's colleagues also accused the police of blocking them from assisting him, with some officers allegedly calling for their removal from the area
Nation Media Group journalist Chris Omollo has been admitted to hospital after he was assaulted by a police officer at Dandora Stadium before Gor Mahia's league clash against Mara Sugar FC.
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The Daily Nation photojournalist was waiting to be granted access to cover the match when an overzealous police officer assaulted him.
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Omollo, who was in the company of his colleagues at the time of the incident, were instructed by a police officer to wait before being granted access when another officer hit him on the back of his head, causing him to collapse.
“It was shocking because we did not provoke them. We were waiting by the gate for the match's stewards to give us access to the stadium when one police officer hit my colleague on the head,” said one of Omollo’s colleagues as quoted by Nation.
Omollo's colleagues also accused the police of blocking them from assisting him, with some officers allegedly calling for their removal from the area.
A senior police officer then intervened to allow Omollo's colleagues to help him, with the officer asking them not to escalate the matter as an ambulance was being called.
Toto Arege, Omollo's colleague, also confirmed the incident and reported that the journalist was admitted to hospital for treatment.
“My colleague and photojournalist Chris Omollo was struck on the back of the head by a police officer when he was trying to gain access to Dandora Stadium… He's currently admitted at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, fighting for his life,” posted Arege on her Instagram account.
Omollo's case adds to the growing number of complaints by journalists of police harassment while covering football and especially at Dandora Stadium, even after identifying themselves.
In the Gor Mahia versus Mara Sugar clash, the police also had a confrontation with a section of fans outside the stadium and lobbed teargas canisters at them.
The gas entered the stadium, forcing the centre referee to temporarily stop the match early in the first half to allow players to take shelter.
The Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) has largely been the unit assigned to provide security at Dandora Stadium.
