Four media houses move to court over protest coverage ban

The Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), Kenya Editors Guild (KEG), Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK), and Kenya Correspondents Association have filed a petition in the High Court claiming that the government's actions violate several fundamental rights guaranteed by the Kenyan Constitution.

According to the petitioners, the directive to halt live broadcasts during the protests violated Articles 33, 34, and 35 of the Constitution, which protect freedom of expression, freedom of the media, and access to information.

“The decision and actions of the 1st Respondent are in violation of Kenya’s international obligations under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” the petition reads in part, invoking globally recognized standards that safeguard freedom of information.

The four media organizations also argue that the government's move violates Article 47 by constituting unfair administrative action and undermining national values such as transparency and accountability, which are outlined in Article 10 of the Constitution.

The petitioners are requesting a number of declarations and orders from the court, including a declaration that the suspension of live broadcasts was unconstitutional, an order quashing the Communications Authority of Kenya's directive, a prohibition on further state interference in media transmissions, and a mandamus order requiring the immediate restoration of all affected broadcasts on terrestrial digital platforms.