Kenya Political Orientation
Government
Government Type: Presidential Republic
Chief of State/Government: President William Ruto
Political Party: United Democratic Alliance
Political Position: Center-Right
Press Freedom
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: 51.58 – Moderate Freedom
World Press Freedom Rank: Kenya 116/180
Reporters without Borders ranks Kenya in their World Press Freedom Index, 116/180 warning that Kenya has seen a “Steady decline” in media freedom with laws such as The Security Laws Amendment Act of 2014 used to gag journalists. Furthermore, the report points out that Journalists often face libel and defamation lawsuits where they are punished by paying hefty fines or prison sentences.
In addition, there is an increase in police and government officials’ intimidation of journalists due to negative coverage of political parties or through covering opposition-held events. The report highlights that major TV channels were shut down in 2018 for live broadcasting coverage of opposition leader Raila Odinga’s mock inauguration. Further, Human Rights Watch reports that journalists face arrest if they don’t disclose their sources.
Media Ownership and Government Analysis
The media in Kenya is regulated by the Media Council of Kenya who provides accreditation of journalists, and facilitates communication between the government, the general public, and journalists. The Media Council of Kenya receives funding from the government, and the government also funds media publications through the Media Council. For example, the government recently funded Catholic Media Houses through the Media Council.
In addition, who and how the board is appointed is not disclosed clearly. Further, the government allocates advertising money to media outlets which results in some self-censorship among journalists. Freedom House reports that government advertising money is significant “for the survival of media outlets, including those that publish online.”
In Kenya, most of the media outlets are privately owned, except for some national broadcasting outlets. There are three privately-owned major TV stations, Kenya Television Network, Citizen Television, and Nation Television News (NTV). The stations are owned by Nation Media Group (NMG), Standard Group PLC, and Royal Media Services (RMS). They also hold various radio stations, newspapers, and other media. On the other hand, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) is owned by the state and is funded from advertising and a government budget. The largest daily newspapers are the Daily Nation and its competitor “The Standard,” which dominates the market when it comes to print media.
In conclusion, although Kenya is a country that “provides a relatively safe haven” for journalists, state control and intimidation of the media by politicians persists. Further, media cross-ownership creates a media oligopoly, while government funding erodes plurality and creates the potential for media-driven propaganda.
| Top 5 Kenya Media Sources by Web Rank |
| Daily Nation |
| Citizen TV |
| The Standard |
| The Star |
| NTV |
Last Updated on May 12, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check
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