The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party of South Africa and the Uganda National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) have strongly condemned the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) for its directive halting live coverage of Wednesday’s anti-government protests.
The CA ordered media outlets to cease broadcasting the demonstrations, prompting leading stations such as KTN, NTV, and K24 to go off-air for several hours until a court overturned the directive.
In a sharply worded statement, the Julius Malema-led EFF accused President William Ruto of orchestrating the media blackout in a bid to suppress dissent and manipulate public perception.
“In a further act of desperation, President Ruto directed the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) to ban all live broadcasts of the protests, citing a deliberate misreading of the Constitution, which protects freedom of expression and media independence,” said the EFF.
The party criticized the move as an attempt by the Kenyan government to “control the narrative, conceal state crimes, and rule through fear.”
Echoing similar sentiments, the Uganda National Association of Broadcasters described the directive as a direct attack on fundamental human rights.
“We stand in solidarity with our colleagues in Kenya. Media freedom is a bedrock of democracy, and undue interference with it is an attack on people’s fundamental human rights,” NAB said.
The association emphasized that live coverage of demonstrations is essential for transparency, accountability, and upholding the public’s right to know. The backlash adds to growing concerns over media freedom under President Ruto’s administration.
Author: Bashir Juma
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