The Communications Authority of Kenya has once again moved to enforce compliance in the broadcasting sector by announcing that it will revoke licences for 42 television stations that have failed to meet requirements set out under the Kenya Information and Communications Act.
In a gazette notice issued on September 12, 2025, the Authority made it clear that the decision would take effect within seven days, meaning that the listed broadcasters will no longer be allowed to operate.
The statement from Director-General David Mugonyi confirmed that once the revocation takes effect, all resources tied to the licences, including frequencies and signal rights, will automatically revert to the Authority.
The list of broadcasters affected is a long one, cutting across various categories of stations.
Among those targeted are Apple Truth Television Network, Metropol TV, Corporate Media TV, DG TV, Doxa TV, Dunamis KTV, Masai TV, Ezra Christian TV, Fanaka TV, Faith Estate TV, Talent TV and Champion TV.
Others include ILM TV, NAI TV, The Mirror Television, Ziwa TV, Kingdom Ambassadors TV, Uboro TV, Kokwo Television, Bulsho TV, Manifestation TV, Mount Kenya TV, Pillar TV and Tourism and Wildlife TV which is popularly known as Safari Channel.
The directive has also named Ongatet Television Network, Mbugi TV, Safina Television, Shakaal Television, Sugan TV, Tama TV, Sawa Television, The Word Music TV, Soko TV, Thjiwe TV, Tem TV, Ukweli TV Kenya and Value TV.
Completing the list are Wananchi TV, 009 TV, Ability TV, Ace TV and Superflex Television.
The Authority has stated that none of the affected broadcasters will be allowed to continue operations once the revocation is enforced.
This means their frequencies and other related resources will be reclaimed and possibly redistributed to other operators who meet the requirements.
The CA maintains that this decision is in line with the law and is part of its responsibility to ensure that the broadcasting sector operates within the rules governing the industry.
This development is not new in Kenya’s media space. In 2024, the same regulator revoked 75 licences belonging to different operators including TV and radio stations, a signal distributor and a subscription management service.
At the time, the decision was also based on non-compliance. Nine broadcasters, including Econet Media, Kiss TV, Kwese TV, Bamba TV and Switch TV, opted to voluntarily surrender their licences.
The rest lost theirs through revocation after failing to meet their legal obligations.The current action by the CA is expected to shake the broadcasting landscape again, as the targeted stations will no longer be part of Kenya’s airwaves.
For viewers who followed some of these stations, the move may bring disruption, but for the regulator, it represents an effort to maintain order and compliance in the industry.
