Kenya Media Sector Working Group urges defiance of CA live coverage ban

Lobby says the CA’s directive was “a clear breach of Article 34 of the Constitution

by Tabnacha Odeny

News25 June 2025 - 15:08

In Summary

In a joint statement, the group said it was “perturbed by the consistent violation of the Constitution and court decisions by the Communication Authority (CA).”
It said the CA’s directive was “a clear breach of Article 34 of the Constitution and a recent High Court judgment safeguarding media independence.”

The Kenya Media Sector Working Group has called on media houses to defy a directive by the Communications Authority (CA) ordering the suspension of live coverage of ongoing protests.

In a joint statement, the group said it was “perturbed by the consistent violation of the Constitution and court decisions by the Communication Authority (CA).”

It said the CA’s directive was “a clear breach of Article 34 of the Constitution and a recent High Court judgment safeguarding media independence.”

The statement added: “We remind the CA that, according to the recent High Court ruling, it lacks the mandate to regulate broadcast content. This authority has been constitutionally vested in the Media Council of Kenya.”

The group emphasized that “the Constitution provides established mechanisms for addressing any allegations of unprofessional media conduct—mechanisms that the CA or any aggrieved party should utilize to seek appropriate redress.”

It warned that the CA notice “threatens the sustainability of responsible journalism” and “risks eroding the media’s ability to fulfill its duty to society.”

The group also stated that “the CA is constitutionally obligated to ensure uninterrupted internet access, which is a fundamental right” and that “any attempt to disrupt or suspend internet services undermines these rights and contravenes the rule of law.”

The statement invoked Article 37 of the Constitution, which guarantees every person “the right, peacefully and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities.”

It also cited Kenya’s international obligations, stating that this right is “affirmed by international instruments such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

The media coalition also condemned the shooting of NTV journalist Ruth Sarmwei with a rubber bullet.

“Such acts of violence against members of the press are unacceptable and undermine the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution,” the statement said.

It called upon the police and all security agencies “to exercise utmost restraint and respect the rights of peaceful protesters and journalists alike.”

The group urged media outlets to “defy this directive and continue with their normal programming without fear,” stating that “switching off the media is not a solution to what the country is facing. These are outdated and unproductive decisions that can only aggravate the matter.”

The statement concluded by affirming the media’s commitment to professionalism and independence.

“The media will continue to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and exercise editorial independence in making programming decisions, in service of the great Republic of Kenya.”

The statement was signed by the Kenya Union of Journalists, Kenya Editors Guild, Kenya Correspondents Association, Article 19 Eastern Africa, Journalism Hub East Africa, Baraza Media Lab, Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK), International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT), Political Journalists Association of Kenya, Association of Devolution Journalists, Kenya Parliamentary Journalists Association, Kenya Community Radio Network, Digital Broadcasters Association, and Association of Kenya Community Media Operators (AKCMO).