Kenya Shuts Down Major Broadcasters Over Protest Coverage, Drawing Legal Firestorm
Nairobi, June 25, 2025 – In a dramatic escalation of tension between media and state, Kenya’s top television stations—KTN News, NTV, and Citizen TV—were taken off air Wednesday morning for defying a government directive that banned live coverage of ongoing anti-government protests.
The move, ordered by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), triggered an immediate backlash from media organizations, civil society groups, and constitutional lawyers, who condemned it as an unlawful crackdown on press freedom.
“This is illegal, unconstitutional, and a direct assault on the public’s right to information,” said the Standard Group, which owns KTN News, in a sharply worded statement.
A Nation in Protest, a Media Under Siege
The blackout comes amid widespread demonstrations marking the first anniversary of the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests, which saw deadly police crackdowns. On Wednesday, demonstrators flooded streets in Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret, and more than 15 other counties.
Live broadcasts showed scenes of bonfires, highway blockades, and heavy police deployments, particularly near Parliament and State House in the capital. But just hours into the protest, broadcasters went dark.
According to the CA, airing protest footage violated Articles 33(2) and 34(1) of the Kenyan Constitution and Section 46I of the Kenya Information and Communications Act. The Authority instructed signal distributors to deplatform any channel airing live protest footage.
Defiant Response From Media Houses
- KTN News confirmed its removal from airwaves but continued livestreaming via YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
- Nation Media Group, which operates NTV, said the shutdown was carried out without due process, violating Article 34(2), which bars state interference in media content.
- Royal Media Services, parent company of Citizen TV, also confirmed its broadcast blackout but redirected viewers to digital platforms.
“The Communications Authority has no constitutional mandate to regulate broadcast content,” said Nation Media Group, referencing recent court rulings which assign that responsibility to the Media Council of Kenya.
Legal Battle Brewing
Media watchdogs and legal experts argue that the CA has overstepped its jurisdiction, raising fears about increasing state control of Kenya’s press landscape.
All three media houses are preparing to file constitutional petitions, with observers anticipating a landmark legal showdown over media freedom in the digital age.
“This blackout is not just about TV—it’s about civic accountability, digital rights, and free expression,” said an advocate with the Kenya Human Rights Commission.
Social Media Fills the Void
As millions of Kenyans turned to TikTok, Facebook Live, and Twitter Spaces for updates, it became clear that digital media had replaced traditional platforms as the frontline for protest coverage.
Meanwhile, Kenyatta National Hospital confirmed at least 10 casualties related to protest violence by mid-day.
