Media Gag Sparks Outrage as Court Suspends Communications Authority’s Protest Coverage Ban
In a controversial move, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) issued a directive ordering mainstream media houses, including Citizen TV, KTN, NTV, and K24, to halt live coverage of the protests held on June 25, 2025.
The directive sparked widespread backlash from the public and media stakeholders. The Kenya Media Sector Working Group, comprising the Kenya Editors’ Guild, Africa Uncensored and other industry players, swiftly condemned the move as a threat to press freedom.
Despite the outcry, enforcement officers from the CA carried out a forced switch-off of free-to-air transmission links. This prompted immediate legal action from the Katiba Institute and the Law Society of Kenya, who moved to court seeking conservatory orders to suspend the directive.
They argued that the ban violated constitutional rights to freedom of expression and the media. The court has since issued conservatory orders temporarily suspending the CA’s directive