Press Freedom Under Siege: Editors Guild Slams Government Over Media Blackout
Nairobi – Kenya Editors’ Guild (KEG) has accused the government of violating press freedom after NTV ,KTN and K24 among multiple independent media houses were forcibly taken off air during live coverage of the Gen Z protest anniversary.
In a sharply worded statement issued Wednesday afternoon, KEG condemned the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) for switching off broadcasting signals without due process or public explanation. The Guild said the move followed an earlier CA directive banning live protest coverage.
“This is not just an attack on the media. It is an assault on the soul of our democracy,” KEG President Zubeidah Kananu stated.
She called the blackout a deliberate attempt to suppress truth, intimidate journalists, and blind the public during a moment of national tension.
“Silencing the media is the clearest sign of a government that fears its people. It signals a regime more focused on control than accountability, more determined to avoid questions than provide answers,” Kananu said.
The government has yet to formally respond to the allegations, but CA had earlier cited “constitutional and regulatory contraventions” as the basis for its crackdown on live broadcasts. No legal proceedings have been made public.
The Editors Guild invoked Article 34 of the Constitution, which guarantees media freedom, and said no government authority has the power to unilaterally suspend that right.
“That freedom is not a favor granted by the state. It is a right earned by the people of Kenya through decades of struggle, sacrifice, and resilience,” the Guild noted.
The media blackout coincided with nationwide demonstrations commemorating the deadly June 25, 2024 protests, which led to dozens of civilian deaths. Protesters again filled streets in major cities including Nairobi, Nakuru, and Kisumu, demanding justice, accountability, and reform.
KEG demanded the immediate restoration of all affected media services and urged Kenyans, civil society, religious leaders, and global allies to resist what it called “a blatant violation of our democratic space.”
“We will not be cowed. We will not be silenced. And we will not sit back as the lights of press freedom are switched off, one by one,” Kananu declared.
The Guild’s statement follows growing public concern over state censorship and increased tension between authorities and citizens amid the Gen Z movement. Calls for transparency, independent oversight, and constitutional adherence have intensified.
No timeline has been provided by the CA for when or if the suspended signals will be restored. KEG has pledged to pursue all legal avenues to protect press freedom in the country.
