The government, in an arm-twisting attempt, has revoked broadcasting licences issued to the Standard Group for its radio and TV operations over unpaid licence fees. In a letter dated 9th April 2025, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), through Director General David Mugonyi, cancels the licences, citing non-remittance of licence fees and the Universal Service Fund (USF) levy, amounting to Ksh48 million.
According to Mr Mugonyi, the Communications Authority of Kenya had issued six-month revocation notices in September 2024, which expired on 24th March, 2025. If CA implements the notice, it would switch off KTN and Standards other broadcasting arms such as Radio Maisha and Spice FM.
Standard Group responded swiftly, crying foul even as the CA dismissed an existing debt repayment plan of the Ksh48 million the media house owes in regulatory fees. Mr Mugonyi said that the Authority will issue a Gazette Notice revoking all the broadcast licences. “This letter serves to inform you that the Authority is progressing to publish a notification on the revocation of all the broadcast licences issued to the Standard Group PLC in the Kenya Gazette,” stated the CA boss.
Citing harsh economic conditions, the company has admittedly accrued a debt of Ksh48 million to the CA in licence fees, but explained that this figure had been significantly reduced since a payment plan was agreed and signed in December 2024. It said in spite of the agreement, the CA issued a notice revoking all the group’s broadcasting licences, an action Chief Executive Editor Chaacha Mwita described as a deliberate attempt by the State to silence the media house, following its recent reportage exposing the ills in the Kenya kwanza administration led by President William Ruto.
> Ruto Government Cracks the Whip on Standard Group
Interestingly, however, the Standard revealed that the government owes the media house Ksh1.2 billion in unpaid advertising fees accumulated by government ministries, agencies, and county governments.
Under the repayment agreement, the company committed to a monthly payout plan where Standard Group deposited Ksh10 million in December 2024, followed by Ksh4 million in January 2025 and another Ksh4 million in February. “We entered and signed an agreement with the Communication Authority that we will be paying Ksh2.5 million a month towards the completion of this debt. “We went ahead to increase this amount from Ksh2.5 million to Ksh4 million a month,” said Mwita.
Standard Group has recently published stories exposing the challenges facing the Kenya Kwanza administration, coverage that have certainly unsettled those in power. “What we publish and carry is the reality of the day. We are not going to back down, we are not going to report things that are not the reality just to make some people happy,” Mwita said.
Mr Mwita confirmed that the company has moved to the Communications and Multimedia Appeals Tribunal, under the CA, seeking an injunction to stop the publication of the Gazette Notice.
> Standard Group Releases Fresh Details on Sudden Exit of Top Editor
This is not the first time the government has attempted to clamp down on Standard Group.
Just last month, the then Broadcasting Principal Secretary Edward Kisiang’ani cancelled Standard Group’s media contract with the Ministry of Irrigation despite the media house having been competitively selected to run a campaign for the launch of the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan.
Leave a comment