Kaluma says media shutdown during protests was in public interest
Homa Bay Town constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Kaluma has claimed that the government’s decision to switch off a section of media outlets’ live signals during the Gen Z memorial protests was in the public interest.
Taking to his official X account in the wee hours of Thursday, June 26, 2025, Kaluma argued that the Wednesday, June 25, 2025, protests were an insurrection and not demonstrations under Article 37.
According to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) lawmaker, the media have been inciting the insurrection and the violence witnessed.
“What we saw yesterday was an insurrection, not demonstrations under Article 37. For the past 2 months, the media has been inciting the insurrection and the violence witnessed,” Kaluma stated.
Fueling violence
He went ahead to argue that the live streaming of the Gen Z memorial protests was inciting and fuelling more violence against the Constitution.
Kaluma also claims that the decision by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to shut down the media was right and that it should always apply where such broadcasts incite violence.
“All freedoms have limits. The live coverage was inciting and fuelling more violence against the Constitution. The decision by the Communications Authority to switch off live coverage, though belated, was therefore in the public interest for public safety/security and therefore right, and should always apply where such a broadcast incites violence. We should not forget that the media was at the very heart of the Rwanda genocide. The media in Kenya has gone rogue and will destroy this country if not properly regulated and sanctioned,” he wrote on X.
Media shutdown
In a move that has sparked renewed fears over media freedom in Kenya, the government on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, abruptly shut down the K24 TV and Kameme TV broadcast signals, following their live coverage of the Gen Z protest commemorations in Nairobi.
In a strongly worded statement, Mediamax Network Ltd, which owns both stations, accused CA of acting in clear violation of the Constitution and a standing High Court decision that prohibits censorship of live broadcast content.
“We wish to inform our customers that the Communications Authority (CA) switched off our K24 broadcast signal in clear violation of the Constitution and a High Court decision in relation to the coverage of live events,” the company stated.
NTV and KTN were also affected by the CA’s decision.
