Kenya court suspends state ban on top TV stations

By Magdalene Mukami

Nairobi (AA) – Kenya’s High Court on Thursday has ordered the suspension of the shutdown of three top Kenyan TV stations, which had put off the air by the Kenyan government after they aired the mock presidential inauguration ceremony of Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Justice Chacha Mwita issued temporary orders barring the government from interfering with the transmissions of the TV stations until a case by activist Okiya Omtatah challenging the government's ban is heard on Feb. 14.

Three television stations (KTN, NTV, and Citizen) have been off the air since Tuesday when opposition leader Raila Odinga was sworn in as the president of the people in a ceremony that was attended by thousands despite the government warning him that it amounted to treason.

Mwita ordered the government to “with immediate effect, restore all television transmissions by Citizen, NTV, and KTN in the pendency of this Application.”

On Wednesday, Kenyan Interior Minister Fred Matiangi accused the opposition of trying to subvert and overthrow a legally constituted government.

He said the media was participating in enabling the illegal act, which “would have led to thousands of deaths of innocent Kenyans”, he said without providing further explanations.