TV Stations to remain closed until investigations over

The three local TV stations shut down on Tuesday by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) will remain closed until investigations over their supposed links with the NASA wing of the National Resistance Movement, which he outlawed on Tuesday, are concluded.

This was said by The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government, Dr Fred Matiang’i, during a press conference held yesterday in Nairobi.

The three, Nation Media Group’s NTV, Citizen TV of Royal Media Services Limited and KTN News channel, had their main transmission centres in Limuru switched off, while the state run Kenya Broadcasting Corporation and K24, are still in operation.

“The media organizations will remain switched off until some of the investigations are completed,” said CS Matiang’i “Kenyans are free to move around and do whatever they want, as long as they do it according to the law. But as a government, we will not accept subversion and criminal acts of subversion.”

He further warned the National Resistance Movement against operations, saying it was an outlawed group that was not allowed to operate.

The CA shut down the TV stations on Tuesday as they prepared to cover the “swearing-in” of Nasa leader Mr Raila Odinga as the people’s president at Uhuru Park.

Last evening, it was also alleged that plainclothes officers were at Nation Center to arrest Linus Kaikai, NTV’s General Manager and Kenya Editors Guild chairman. Mr. Kaikai was to be apprehended over his statement that the government is muzzling the media.

Journalists Larry Madowo and Ken Mijungu were also being sought out for openly speaking about government shutdown of NTV and Citizen TV.