Government Warns Media Over Coverage of Protests

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has cautioned the media over the dissemination of content that is against the constitution while covering anti-government protests. 

In a letter on Wednesday, July 17, CA Director General David Mugonyi warned that the dissemination of such content was unlawful, and any media house found culpable would face action.

Mugonyi claimed that during the recent protests, licensed media outlets compromised objectivity in their coverage of crime and security operations.

“Recent protests and ensuing violence, loss of lives, and destruction of property have highlighted instances where licensed media entities have compromised objectivity and balance in the reporting of crime, security operations, and/or crisis situations. The Authority further noted with concern that some media entities aired images of dead and/or seriously wounded people without censoring or blurring out the images.

"All media houses are hereby cautioned that dissemination of content that runs afoul of the Constitution; the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998; the Programming Code for Broadcasting Services as well as the Preservation of the Public Security Act, 2012 is unlawful and will result in enforcement action," read part of the letter by Mugonyi. 

He maintained that, according to the law, the media was required to ensure information was presented with sensitivity in the case of content likely to cause some distress to the audience. 

“The Programming Code for Broadcasting Services 2024, requires broadcasters to ensure that the content of news, current affairs and factual programmes are presented with sensitivity in the case of material likely to cause some distress to a substantial number of the audience, such as televised images of dead or seriously wounded people or animals,” Mugonyi added.

At the same time, the CA director general noted that all media outlets were required to uphold and defend the constitution by refraining from perpetuating violence which could lead to widespread civil unrest.

“All media houses are required to ensure that content aired adheres strictly to Articles 3(1), 33(2), and 34(1) of the Constitution, the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998, the Programming Code for Broadcasting Services, as well as the Preservation of the Public Security Act, 2012,” he stated.