The Communications Authority (CA) Director-General Ezra Chiloba has announced that the body will move to revoke about 23 licenses of various TV, Radio stations on Wednesday, March 23.
Speaking to the media, Chiloba affirmed that the broadcasters were yet to comply with the CA laws despite a 30-day revocation notice that expired in January 2022.
He added that the names of the stations would be made public on a detailed report to be released on the same day.
"We are still carrying out an audit and we will issue another report at the end of this quarter on the status. Some never appealed or do anything and we are going to revoke those," he stated.
Further, Chiloba explained that out of 490 broadcasters within the country, about 128 had been faced with compliance issues by the end of December 2021.
This prompted the Authority to issue a 30-day notice ordering the stations to comply with the relevant requirements as provided in the Act.
According to the CA boss, a huge number of broadcasters moved to heed the Authority's directive- but some opted to take the matter to court as a means of resistance. However, Chiloba affirmed that they later resorted to comply with the order.
"We took that action and I am happy to report that there has been a lot of progress. Those who had not applied have now applied and those who have not paid have now paid and we made about Ksh100 million within one month," he stated.
Recently, the Communications Authority had given cancellation notices to a number of notable stations such as Capital FM, NRG, Qwetu Radio, One FM, Faith FM, Mbaitu FM on the issue of compliance.
"In accordance with Section 46C of the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998, it is unlawful to provide any form of broadcasting service in Kenya without a license issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA)."
"Contravention of this requirement attracts a fine not exceeding Ksh1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both," Chiloba stated at the time of issuing the notice.
