Kenya Film Classification Board CEO Dr Ezekiel Mutua on Tuesday, September 1, fired a warning to musicians and media houses on producing and airing 'dirty' content.
This is after Ohangla musician George Otieno Adinda alias Otieno Aloka who produced a vulgar Luo song dubbed "Ochot Madhako" pleaded guilty to the preferred charges at the Kisumu Law Courts on Monday, August 31.
Aloka was sentenced to six months in prison or pay a fine of Ksh120,000 after previously being released on a police bond of Ksh15,000.
"Any artists contravening the Film's and Stage Plays Act Cap 222 will form now henceforth face the full force of the law.
"All free-to-air and TV stations are by issue of this statement directed to desist from airing this rancid song and other in the same class, failing which, the Board will take the necessary legal action the singers, producers and exhibitors of such unrated content," noted Mutua.
KFCB also partnered with the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to ensure broadcasters who violated the watershed period principle were brought to book.
Mutua urged content creators to play a positive role in stemming the wave of what he described as moral decay by complying with the law and ensuring the content produced did not lead to destroying the morals of children.
KFCB has partnered with Google, cyber security experts, the National Police Service (NPS) and DCI among others to ensure children were protected against exposure to harmful content.
The regulatory board also called upon parents, guardians, caregivers and the Kenyan society to remain vigilant and monitor what children were consuming especially during the Covid-19 pandemic where most of their time was spent at home.
Aside from the sentencing of Aloka, four singers including George Lio, Moses Osidiana, Raymond Kabagazi and Simon Mandela were also arraigned in court on Monday but denied the charges of displaying obscene content and were released on a cash bail of Ksh. 10,000.
Mutua, however, clarified that the board had the Ohangla artiste Otieno Aloka publish a public apology with KFCB agreeing to withdraw the case before court but were unsuccessful.
"The Board had agreed to the request and written to the DCI to withdraw the case but because the matter had already been reported to the police, given an OB number and allocated a hearing date, withdrawal was to be done before the judge on Monday, August 31, 2020," noted Mutua.
