Ruto’s administration warned against silencing independent media

Summary:

• The Kenya Kwanza administration is criticized for undermining independent media by redirecting government advertisements and broadcast slots, prompting condemnation from media groups and calls for international intervention to protect media freedom.

The Kenya Kwanza administration faces heavy criticism for its ongoing efforts to suppress independent media. Just two months ago, the Ruto administration redirected government advertisements from multiple local newspapers to a single entity. Last week, it announced plans to exclusively allocate government broadcast advertisements to the State broadcaster, KBC.

The Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG) condemned these actions, labeling them as a deliberate attack on media freedom, freedom of expression, and the public’s right to information, directly violating the Constitution.

The media coalition urged the international community and human rights organizations to oppose the government’s systematic assault on media freedom in Kenya and to advocate for upholding media freedom principles outlined in the country’s Constitution.