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Kenyan court orders govt to end televisions shutdown

Thursday February 01 2018
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Blank screens of leading television stations NTV, Citizen and KTN with only K24 TV live at the Nation newsroom on January 30, 2018. The High Court has ordered CA to restore the signals. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By The EastAfrican

A Kenyan court has ordered the Communications Authority to restore signal transmission of four television stations it switched off on Tuesday over the opposition's mock inauguration.

A judge at the High Court in Nairobi issued temporary orders barring the government from interfering with operations of Nation Media Group's NTV, Royal Media's Citizen and Inooro, and Standard Group's KTN News pending the hearing of a suit filed by activist Okiya Omtatah.

Mr Omtatah had moved to court Thursday morning seeking a declaration that the shutdown is illegal and unconstitutional.

The case will be heard on February 14.

READ: Kenyan activist moves to court over TVs shutdown

Journalists

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Meanwhile, NTV journalists Linus Kaikai, Larry Madowo and Ken Mijungu have moved to court to bar their imminent arrest and prosecution after the station broadcast live coverage of Raila Odinga's “swearing in”.

The three said they had all been warned by security sources that their arrest was imminent and were forced to spend Wednesday night in their newsroom in fear of arrest, watching plainclothes policemen camped outside.

READ: NTV journalists, fearing arrest, camp out in the newsroom

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