Kenyan Journalists Speak On BBC's 'Blood Parliament' Exposé

Kenyan Journalists Speak On BBC’s ‘Blood Parliament’ Exposé

Less than a day after the BBC cancelled the public screening of the ‘Blood Parliament’ exposé due to pressure from government officials, the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) broke its silence.

In a statement issued by KUJ Secretary General Erick Oduor, the union, which brings together all journalists in Kenya to advocate for their rights, complimented the BBC on their daring journalism.

According to KUJ, the documentary helped to expose police violence and the unjust killing of young Kenyans.

“The Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) would like to congratulate the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for its bold journalism that exposed police brutality and killings of innocent young Kenyans during the protests against the Finance Bill last year,” the statement read in part.

“This is journalism that the world needs today to hold authorities to account for their actions.”

It continued: “The Blood Parliament documentary demonstrates the media’s role as the Fourth Estate that keeps other Estates in check, especially the government, to respect the rule of law.”

✊Kudos to @BBCAfrica for their fearless documentary #BloodParliament, which exposed police brutality during Kenya's 2024 Finance Bill protests.

This is the bold journalism we need to hold authorities accountable! Join us in defending media freedom! #ProtectMediaFreedom pic.twitter.com/jqNR4uPiXQ
— Kenya Union of Journalists (@KUJ_Kenya) April 29, 2025

KUJ has also spoken out against some of the politicians, revealing that they were dissatisfied with the production, implying that reality will soon catch up with them.

Furthermore, KUJ maintained that Kenyans cannot pretend that nothing happened following the shooting at Parliament precincts and across the country on June 25 last year, and urged journalists to be committed to their profession.

“We have noted that a section of the political class is not happy with this excellent piece of journalism, but it’s only a matter of time before the reality hits them,” KUJ added.

Meanwhile, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna slammed critics of the production, claiming that having watched the events, it was incorrect for people to claim that it was politically driven.

“Speaking as someone present in Parliament that day, the events depicted in the Blood Parliament documentary by BBC Africa Eye are not fabrications,” Sifuna noted.

“They happened. We all saw it live and on our screens. We must encourage these stories to be told from all angles for the sake of truth and justice.”

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

The developments follow a BBC exposé that revealed dark police antics during the anti-government riots on June 25, which culminated in the storming of Parliament.

It revealed that it might have been infiltrated by highly trained operators working outside of conventional police units, which are typically responsible for maintaining peace and order.

According to the study, some of the shooters involved in quelling the Gen Z protests may have been Kenya Defence Forces members, in addition to police officials.

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In the exposé, a young Kenyan journalist, Allan Ademba, emerged victorious after being recorded while racing to rescue the lives of other teenagers who had been shot in the commotion.

As Parliament’s precincts were bombarded with gunfire, hundreds of additional demonstrators fled for their lives.

On Monday, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) reported that 60 deaths had been registered.

It had finished 22 investigations, was actively investigating 36 more, and had two cases pending in court.

Kenyan Journalists Speak On BBC’s ‘Blood Parliament’ Exposé