The Kenyan government, through the Communications Authority of Kenya, on Wednesday ordered all television and radio stations to immediately cease live broadcasting of ongoing protests.
The Authority cited a breach of constitutional rules as the reason for the directive.
These protests mark the first anniversary of massive anti-government demonstrations that saw at least 60 people killed by security forces.
While the anniversary marches began peacefully, they quickly devolved into violent clashes between demonstrators and police, who used tear gas and barricaded government buildings.
The broadcast ban sparked immediate outrage online, but many Kenyan media outlets appeared to defy the order, continuing their live coverage.
The Standard Group, a major media conglomerate, condemned the directive as an attempted “news blackout” and vowed to continue broadcasting. They also reported receiving information that the Communications Authority had instructed signal carriers to remove any media house conducting live broadcasts, noting similar threats were made during the peak of the 2024 protests.
Amnesty International has also condemned the ban, stating that “silencing the press is not the solution.”
