The government has lifted the ban on broadcasting live protests during the commemoration of victims of the June 2024 anti-government protests that led to the death of at least 60 Kenyans.
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) announced the lifting in a notice to all media houses on June 26, 2025.
“Reference is made to our letter Ref. No. CS/CE/BC/TV 90A dated June 25, 2025, on the Authority’s directive banning live coverage of demonstrations. We wish to inform you that the above-referred directive has been lifted forthwith. The authority appreciates your continued support and appreciation.
Read the notice.
This comes a day after the Authority, in a statement on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, stated that the coverage is contrary to the Constitution.
“The live coverage of the June 25, 2025, demonstrations is contrary to Articles 33(2) and 34(1) of the Constitution of Kenya and Section 461 of the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998. This is therefore to direct all television and radio stations to stop any live coverage of the demonstrations forthwith,” read the statement in part.
Furthermore, the authority has warned that regulatory action will be taken against any media house that fails to comply with the directive.
“Failure to abide by this directive will result in regulatory action as stipulated in the Kenya Information and Communications Act 1998,” read the statement.
Kenya Editor’s Guild stance
The directive received condemnation from the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG), which termed the move ‘draconian and unacceptable’, citing that it serves as a deliberate attempt to intimidate the media into silence.
In a statement on June 25, 2025, KEG president Zubeidah Kananu noted that silencing the media is the clearest sign of a government that fears the same citizens it’s supposed to lead.
“Article 34 of the Constitution of Kenya guarantees freedom of the media. That freedom is not a favour granted by the state; it is a right earned by the people of Kenya through decades of struggle, sacrifice, and resilience. No authority has the power to unilaterally revoke it.”
While advocating for press freedom, KEG reaffirmed that the nation would not be dragged back into an era of state censorship and media blackout.
“We remind the government that history has judged harshly those who muzzle the press. Kenya has walked this path before and paid the price. We will not allow a return to that darkness.”
The KEG president demanded that the CA restore all broadcasting signals of all affected media services to guarantee press freedom as enshrined in the Constitution.
