The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has secured conservatory orders suspending a directive by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) which ordered all television and radio stations in the country to immediately cease live coverage of the June 25, 2025, protests.
The protests happened as Kenyans from different parts of the country took to the streets to mark the first anniversary of the deadly anti-Finance Bill protests in 2024.
CA in a notice signed by Director General David Mugonyi warned that airing the demonstrations live contravenes Articles 33(2) and 34(1) of the Constitution and Section 461 of the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998.
“This is therefore to direct all television and radio stations to stop any live coverage of the demonstrations forthwith,” the regulator said, adding that failure to comply would attract regulatory action.
LSK secures conservatory orders against CA
However, LSK President Faith Odhiambo announced that the society has secured a conservatory order suspending the directive.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Chacha Mwita following a petition filed at the Milimani High Court.
“That a conservatory order is hereby issued suspending, with immediate effect, the directive REF No. CA/CE/BC/TV90A or any other directive issued by the Communication Authority of Kenya to all Television and Radio Stations directing them to stop live coverage of the demonstrations of 25th June 2025 or any other demonstrations, until the hearing and determination of the application and petition,” the ruling reads in part.
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The court has further ruled that any broadcasting signals that may have been switched off as a result of the referenced directive be restored with immediate effect, pending further orders of the court.
At the same time, Justice Mwita directed that service of the order may be effected through email and served by publishing in live television broadcasts or through newspapers.
“The Authority must forthwith reinstate all signals it has shut down on account of their unconstitutional directive. Contempt of this order will be met with full prosecution of the leadership of CA,” Odhiambo said.
CA, in its notice, had warned media outlets that failure to abide by the directive would result in a regulatory action as stipulated in the Kenya Information and Communication Act 1998.
Further, the regulator urged the media houses to cooperate with the orders.
Media stations boycott directive
However, the Standard Media Group, in defiance, issued a statement confirming that it would continue broadcasting in the public interest until the legality of the order is clarified.
The media house, which owns KTN News and several radio stations, noted that it was consulting with its legal team to determine the constitutionality of the directive, describing it as a move aimed at plunging the country into a “news blackout”.
Also, the Group alleged that the CA had directed signal distributors to deplatform any outlet broadcasting the protests live, similar to threats issued during the anti-Finance Bill protests in 2024.
“The Standard Group has seen a letter circulating from the Communication Authority of Kenya ordering all television and radio stations to immediately stop all live broadcasting of demonstrations,” the statement read in part.
Moments later, KTN News and Nation Media Group’s NTV were taken off air by CA which disabled their free-to-air signals.
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In separate statements, both media outlets revealed that the move came after they defied the initial directive.
NTV reported interference at its Limuru transmission station but confirmed it was still broadcasting the protests live through its social media platforms, including YouTube.
KTN News also acknowledged being taken off air, while assuring viewers that its coverage of the demonstrations remained accessible via social media platforms, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
Meanwhile, CA officials were captured on video arriving at Citizen TV’s transmission facility in Limuru, though the station remained on air.
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