Was Standard journalist poisoned?

Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) has called on police to investigate the mysterious death of Standard journalist, Joseph Masha, in Kilifi County today morning.  The journalist who reported for Standard newspaper is said to have had dinner withKilifi Constituency MP Gideon Mung’aru to mend fences following frosty relations between the two.

Some source say the writer could have been poisoned as he developed complications and started vomiting. Family members revealed that the politician had complained of a story that appeared on The Standard newspaper on August 31 in which Mr Masha analysed Kilifi politics.

The politician is said to have complained that story could cost him votes. “We are demanding a post-mortem to reveal the cause of Masha’s death. We also want the [politician] investigated to find out if he had a hand in Masha’s death,” said KUJ secretary-general Erick Oduor

Mr Masha died on Saturday morning after collapsing in his house at Cashem Village in Mkoroshoni suburb of Kilifi Town. The deceased had spent the better part of Friday covering President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto’s rally at the Kilifi main bus stage.

On Saturday, shocked journalists who had spent the better part of Friday with him flocked the Kilifi Hospital mortuary to view his body.

Colleagues and people who knew him were yet to come to terms with his sudden death. Speaking after viewing the body, veteran journalist Walker Mwandoto said the sudden death of Mr Masha was shocking to them.

He said he had worked with Mr Masha at the county information office. Mr Masha’s first born daughter Khadija Masha said his father arrived home after covering the President’s visit and complained of stomach upsets. “We ordered for some pain killers but he said he was okay and asked for a cup of tea. He never showed any signs of any serious illness,” she said.

However, Khadija said that they found him outside the toilet where he had collapsed and was unconscious. “We tried to resuscitate him but he only gestured before shutting his eyes. We rushed him to the Kilifi county hospital but he was pronounced dead,” she said.

The family said that it was planning for a post-mortem to determine his cause of death.

[crp]