The government of Kenya on Wednesday ordered all television and radio stations to immediately halt live broadcasts of nationwide protests marking the one-year anniversary of massive anti-government demonstrations.
In a directive issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya, the regulator claimed that live coverage of the protests violated constitutional guidelines and instructed media outlets to cease such transmissions “forthwith.”
The protests commemorate the deadly 2024 demonstrations over economic hardships, during which at least 60 people were killed by security forces.
While the anniversary marches began peacefully, they quickly turned violent as protesters clashed with police, who responded with tear gas and sealed off key government buildings with barbed wire.
According to reports in Kenya, despite the government order, many Kenyan media outlets continued with live broadcasts, sparking widespread online outrage over what critics described as an attempt to suppress press freedom.
Report further said that, the Standard Group, a major media company running television, radio, and print outlets, called the directive an attempted “news blackout” and vowed to continue its coverage.
The company also alleged that the Communications Authority had instructed signal carriers to deplatform media houses airing live footage, similar to what it described as threats made during the height of the 2024 protests.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International condemned the broadcast ban, warning that “silencing the press is not the solution.”
