CS Mucheru fails to appear before Senate Committee over TV blackout

ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru (PHOTO: FILE)

NAIROBI, KENYA: Information and Communications Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru on Thursday failed to honour summon by Senate ICT Committee to explain why Government shut down for television stations.

The Communications Authority of Kenya switched off KTN News, NTV, Citizen TV and Inooro TV for defying a directive not to cover the live ‘swearing-in’ of Opposition leader Raila Odinga on January 30 at Uhuru Park.

The media shutdown sparked uproar in the country, with several opposition leaders saying the move was political.

Activist Okiya Omtatah filed a case in the High Court prompting the judge to order communications Authority of Kenya to switch on the channels.

Senate Committee on Information, Communication and Technology, chaired by Baringo Senator Gideon Moi summoned CS Mucheru. The committee described the switch off as an open infringement on media freedom and independence.

The committee said the move was an open contravention of articles 34 and 35 on media freedom.

Kenya’s Constitution provides that the State shall not exercise control over or interfere with any person engaged in broadcasting, the production or circulation of any publication or dissemination of information by any medium.

The TV shut down prompted reactions across the World with international media houses aggressively reporting on the matter.