Police teargas demonstrators demanding TV stations reopen

NAIROBI, KENYA: Police on Monday fired teargas to disperse demonstrators pushing for the suspension ofshut down of three private television stations.

KTN News, Citizen, NTV, Inooro TV and Radio Citizen are currently off air following action by the Communications Authority of Kenya to shut them from free to air platforms.

The activists were trying to march to government offices in central Nairobi when police fired the gas.

Despite the court order demanding government to lift the ban on the above TV stations, the government has remained non-committed in restoring the signals.

On Friday, activist Okiya Omtatah claimed that police blocked him from accessing Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) Headquarters in Nairobi denying him opportunity to serve the authority with court orders suspending the media shutdown.

Omtata filed a petition on Thursday to overturn the Government’s directive that led to switching off Kenya’s leading TV stations, arguing the move is contravening the Constitution.

US government and the conference of Catholic Bishops have condemned the shutdown linking it to a breach of the press freedom.

“US again urges government of Kenya to allow TV stations to re-open. Free media is essential to democracy. So adherence to the Constitution and rule of law. Court orders must be respected,” said Godec in a tweet.

The conference of Catholic Bishops condemned government’s shut down three major TV stations, saying it does not auger well for freedom of press.

“It is retrogressive and deliberate effort toward eroding the positive steps the country and her people have laid down in the Constitution as a social contract,” read the statement signed by chairman of Catholic Bishops Philip Anyolo.