The High Court on Wednesday, June 21, issued an injunction barring Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria from attacking any media practitioner.
The order was given by Justice Lawrence Mugambi pending the determination of a suit filed by human rights defender Charles Mugane.
Mugane moved to court days after the Trade CS threatened to withdraw all government advertising from Nation Media Group, the parent company of NTV and Daily Nation.
"Pending the hearing and determination of this application, an injunction be and is hereby issued against the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industries, the Hon Moses Kuria, preventing him from uttering and expressing any insulting words," reads the court order.
In the order, Justice Mugambi also warned Kuria against indirectly making utterances that would overtly be interpreted as insulting, demeaning, belittling, condescending, disdainful, disparaging or vilifying towards any media practitioner.
However, Justice Mugambi equally stated that the order is temporary and will remain in effect until the case is heard and determined.
"In the meantime, he must not make any statements which are demeaning, belittling, condescending, disdainful, disparaging or vilifying against any Media Practitioner(s) within the meaning of Article 34 of the Constitution of Kenya," Justice Mugambi stated.
The case is set for mention on June 24, 2023.
Kuria's threats were a response to an exposé the Kimathi Street-based media house ran touching on an oil scandal allegedly orchestrated by his ministry.
While addressing the Press at the precincts of Parliament on Wednesday, June 21, Kuria vowed not to apologise for his remarks, noting that he is pro-media but some Journalists had gone rogue.
"I am not apologising and I have been a media owner before. I have been a writer in your newspapers and all that before.
"There is nobody who is pro-media more than me but I know the difference between media and what Thomas Baldwin called the prerogative of the harlot; the exercise of power without responsibility," Kuria asserted.
