Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka in a past political rally. Photo Courtesy. 
By Andrew Mbuva
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has condemned the government following a forceful media shutdown during the Gen Z-led protests, terming the move as a “blatant violation of media freedom” and an “outrageous abuse of power.”
Musyoka was reacting to Thursday’s events, where armed police officers, accompanied by officials from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), stormed Citizen TV and NTV’s Limuru transmission stations and switched off their free-to-air signal.
KTN was also pulled off air for its live coverage of the anti-government demonstrations that swept across major towns.
“A regime that sends police to shut down media is a regime running from truth,” said Musyoka, accusing the state of undermining constitutional guarantees on press freedom and the public’s right to information.
The former Vice President cited Article 34(1) of the Constitution, which guarantees the freedom and independence of the media, and Article 35, which affirms every citizen’s right to access information. “These constitutional rights are not suggestions. They are the law,” he emphasized.
According to Musyoka, the CA's actions to disrupt live broadcast under the guise of legal authority were not only deceptive but also unconstitutional. He pointed to a 2023 High Court ruling—Kenya Editors Guild & Others v. Communications Authority & Others—which expressly barred the CA from interfering with live broadcasts.
“It is not just contempt of court but also contempt for democracy to disregard the verdict that reaffirmed that no government agency may place prior restrictions on the press,” he noted.
He dismissed claims that live coverage poses a security risk, instead branding it as a “civic duty” of the media. “Live reporting is not a threat. Silencing it is a desperate act of state insecurity. When the government fears media more than the chaos it creates, the real danger is no longer in the streets. It is in the system,” Musyoka warned.
The Wiper Party leader confirmed that legal steps had already been taken to challenge the shutdown in court, vowing to hold those responsible accountable. “We will not allow a rogue agency to trample on the Constitution and walk away unchallenged,” he declared.
The media blackout has sparked widespread condemnation from civil society, legal experts, and international press freedom organizations, who see it as a troubling sign of democratic backsliding in the country.
The Gen Z protests, which began as online dissent against the Finance Bill 2024, have grown into a national movement demanding accountability, transparency, and broader systemic reforms.
