Kenya TV stations to remain off-air after Odinga 'inauguration'
Three of Kenya's biggest television
stations will remain off-air until further notice because they had
planned to broadcast the opposition leader's unofficial "inauguration"
in Nairobi.
Interior Minister Fred Matiang'i told reporters they would stay closed until investigations were complete.
Shortly after he spoke, opposition MP Tom Kajwang was arrested.
Mr Kajwang played a prominent role in Tuesday's ceremony naming Raila Odinga as "the people's president".
The
outspoken MP had donned a lawyer's robe and wig, to the amusement of
thousands of cheering opposition supporters in Uhuru park, in the
capital Nairobi.
It is unclear what charges he will face.
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".
As a result, NTV, KTN and Citizen TV were taken off-air at around 09:10 (06:10 GMT) on Tuesday.
Kenyan
journalists denounced the move as outrageous and in a statement called
for "respect of the constitution" and an end to the "unprecedented
intimidation of journalists".
The regulatory body, the Media
Council of Kenya, described the recent turn of events as "the greatest
threat and assault on freedom of expression and media in Kenya's recent
history", saying there was no need to keep the media houses closed while
an investigation was ongoing.
"This shutdown erodes the gains so
far made in developing a free and responsible media industry and should
never happen in a robust democracy that Kenya boasts of," the
organisation said in a Facebook post. "As guaranteed by the Kenyan Constitution, media freedom should be guarded jealously at all times."
But the Interior Ministry said it was a "serious breach of security".
Mr
Matiang'i told reporters: "As a result of what happened yesterday, we
have commenced investigations targeting individuals. Media houses will
remain closed until we complete investigations."
Mr Odinga held his own "inauguration" after claiming he was the rightful winner of last year's election.
President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in for a second term last
November. He won an election re-run in October, but Mr Odinga boycotted
it.
Mr Kenyatta's initial victory was overturned by the Supreme Court, citing "irregularities and illegalities".
The inauguration event in Uhuru park was attended by thousands of supporters, and went off peacefully.
Citizen TV live streamed the event on its website, and on YouTube and Facebook.
BBC
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