The Media Council of Kenya has condemned police for locking out journalists who were covering the Shakahola tragedy.
In a statement, MCK said the move denies the media access to report on a matter of public interest.
"This will open the floodgates of misinformation, rumours and confusion to the whole country. It violates the principles of press freedom and the right to information," the statement read.
On Wednesday, the media was barred from going into the Shakahola Forest by police.
The 800-acre land is owned by Pastor Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church.
Mackenzie is suspected of indoctrinating followers of his church into fasting to death with the belief of ascending to heaven to meet Jesus Christ.
On Tuesday, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki issued a 30-day dusk-to-dawn curfew in the Chakama Ranch area.
“The entire 800-acre parcel of land that is part of the Shakahola ranch is hereby declared a disturbed area and an operation zone. The multi-agency security team will upscale the search and rescue mission to save as many lives as possible,” he said.
Kindiki said the government deployed more security personnel to comb through the vast Shakahola forest to rescue any remaining followers.
His remarks come after some 95 bodies have been recovered from graves in the forest.
