In a bold act of media defiance, the Standard Group, which owns KTN News, has announced it will continue airing live coverage of the #June25th2025 protests, despite a government directive banning all real-time broadcast of the ongoing demonstrations.
Earlier today, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) ordered all local TV and radio stations to cease live transmission of the protests, a move widely criticized as a blatant attempt to suppress press freedom and mute public awareness.
However, in a strong-worded statement, Standard Group said it “will not be part of a deliberate effort to plunge the country into a news blackout.” The media house affirmed its constitutional duty to inform the public, especially during moments of national significance.
“Our role as a media house is to reflect the reality on the ground and serve the public’s right to know. We will not be silenced,” the statement read in part.
The defiant stance by KTN comes amid mounting public concern over the state’s increasing intolerance to dissent. Civil society groups, the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), and opposition politicians have all condemned the CA directive as unconstitutional and dangerous.
This comes as one person was shot dead and several others injured in Matuu, Machakos County, after protesters stormed the local police station. In Nairobi, at least three people were hospitalized following confrontations between demonstrators and police.
Meanwhile, Parliament adjourned indefinitely earlier today due to a lack of quorum, stalling debate on key motions and bills—yet another sign of how today’s protests have paralyzed national institutions.
As tension continues to rise across the country, KTN’s defiance may set the tone for how the rest of Kenya’s media landscape responds to state pressure in moments of national crisis.
