KENYA’S HIGH COURT SUSPENDS THE GOVERNMENT’S SHUTDOWN OF 3 PRIVATE TV CHANNELS.

Kenya’s High Court has suspended the government’s shutdown of three of the country’s largest private TV channels.

KTN, NTV, and Citizen TV were taken off-air over plans to broadcast opposition leader Raila Odinga’s unofficial “inauguration” on Tuesday.

The court has suspended the ban for 14 days while the case is heard.

Mr Odinga lost last year’s election and his swearing-in was widely seen as a publicity stunt, but the authorities said it was an act of treason.

Opposition groups have accused the Kenyan government of violating the public’s right to information about important events.

BBC’s Gladys Kijo in Nairobi reports that at present, the stations remain off-air and there is no indication that the government will comply with the court’s decision.

The High Court also ordered the state not to interfere with the operation of KTN, NTV, and Citizen TV pending a full hearing.

The channels were taken off-air on Tuesday morning ahead of the swearing-in.

The interior ministry said in a statement circulating on social media that broadcasting the event – described as an attempt to “subvert or overthrow” the government – “would have led to the deaths of thousands of innocent Kenyans”.

Ends/BBC/Komboni

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