Baringo Senator Gideon Moi on Friday faulted the government for shutting down TV stations that covered National Super Alliance (NASA) Raila Odinga's inauguration.
Speaking in Nakuru, the Kenya Africa National Union (KANU) leader stated that the government was a threat to media freedom and was operating against the constitution by shutting down the TV Stations.
"Over the last four days, Kenyans have been in information darkness. Section 34 (1) is clear that freedom and independence of electronic, print and all other types of media is guaranteed and that the state shall not exercise control over or interfere with any person engaged in broadcasting, the production or circulation of any publication or dissemination of information by any medium." Moi stated.
He explained that government should obey an order to reinstate the TV stations as ordered by a High Court.
[caption caption="File image of Baringo Senator Gideon Moi"]
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"The government has ignored the court order and the country continues to find itself in information blackout with no one knowing for how long. Though the government has indicated that the stations are under investigations, they do not have to be off-air for investigations to go on," he conveyed.
Moi who was elected the Chairman of the Senate ICT committee added that investigations could be carried out while the stations are operational maintaining that journalists needed their freedom to perform their duties.
"Journalists are also finding themselves in a worrying environment of intimidation and harassment for doing their work. It should also guarantee journalists of their safety and working environment free of intimidation and harassment," the KANU leader stated.
Homabay Senator Moses Kajwang' took to Twitter to support Moi's sentiments.
"Senator Moi is my Chairman in Senate ICT Committee and has his heart in the right place on this matter," he tweeted on Friday.
[caption caption="Senator Kajwang's tweet"]
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Earlier on Thursday, Royal Media Services Chairman SK Macharia sued the government following the media shutdown that has put their signals off-air.
Mr Macharia is seeking to have the government pay compensation and get a court order barring interference with the firm's broadcast sites.
