In a significant turn for media freedom in Kenya, the Communications and Multimedia Appeals Tribunal has issued a stay halting the communications regulator from revoking several broadcast licences held by Standard Media Group PLC.
The interim order, issued Tuesday by Tribunal Chairperson Rosemary Kuria, followed an urgent application by the media house, which is challenging the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK)’s move to pull the plug on several of its TV and radio stations.
“It is hereby ordered,” read the ruling seen by The Standard, “that pending the inter partes hearing of the application, there be a stay of the implementation of the decision… to revoke and/or the notices of the revocation” of Standard’s licences.
The disputed licences cover some of Kenya’s most recognised outlets: KTN Burudani, Spice FM, KTN News, Berur FM, Radio Maisha and others.
The tribunal ordered that CAK file its formal response to the appeal within 14 days. A mention of the case has been set for 2nd May 2025.
Standard Media, one of the country’s oldest and most influential media groups, filed the appeal under case number CAMATA/E001/2025, arguing that the regulator’s decision was unlawful and procedurally flawed.
In its application dated 14th April 2025, Standard termed the move a “targeted attempt to silence critical voices,” according to a source familiar with the matter but not authorised to speak publicly.
The CAK has not issued a public statement on the ruling. However, officials had previously cited alleged non-compliance with licence conditions as the basis for the revocation notices, according to correspondence reviewed by this reporter.
The media tribunal’s intervention marks a rare but consequential check on regulatory overreach in a sector that has come under increasing pressure in recent years.
“This is a clear sign that due process still matters,” said Mwangi Githinji, a Nairobi-based constitutional lawyer. “It also signals that regulatory decisions—especially those touching on press freedom—won’t go unchallenged.”
The case comes at a time of heightened sensitivity around media independence in Kenya. Several civil society organisations have warned of creeping state control, particularly through licensing decisions and economic pressure.
The order underscores the Tribunal’s role as a watchdog of fairness in digital and broadcast regulation. The body, set up under the Kenya Information and Communications Act, hears appeals from parties aggrieved by decisions of the Communications Authority.
For now, the stations remain on air.
“This is not just about Standard Media,” one broadcast editor said off the record. “It’s about the right to inform, and to be informed, without fear of state interference.”
The case is expected to set a legal precedent that could define the boundaries of state control in the media landscape, with far-reaching implications for other broadcasters across the region.
As the 2nd May mention date approaches, all eyes will be on the Tribunal—and the future of free media in Kenya.
