The High Court has extended conservatory orders suspending a directive issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) barring television and radio stations from broadcasting live coverage of the June 25, 2025 anti-government demonstrations.
Justice Chacha Mwita, presiding over the matter at the Milimani Law Courts, directed that the case be mentioned again on October 27 for further directions. The judge emphasized that the interim orders suspending the CA directive would remain in force until then.
The suspension stems from a petition filed by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), which argued that the CA’s directive violated the Constitution, particularly the freedoms of the press and access to information. The directive had instructed all broadcasters to immediately cease live transmission of the protests, sparking widespread condemnation from civil society, media groups, and legal professionals.
During today’s proceedings, Justice Mwita noted that multiple applications had been filed over the same issue, raising similar constitutional concerns. The judge advised that the matters should be consolidated into one petition to avoid duplication and ensure judicial efficiency.
This followed revelations that the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) had filed two additional petitions challenging the same CA directive, bringing the total number of legal challenges to at least three.
The case will now be mentioned on October 27, when the court is expected to give further guidance on consolidation and set timelines for hearing the main petition.
