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Message: [QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 48995, member: 636"] Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo defended shutting down TV and radio coverage during protests last month. The government official claims he wanted to shield kids from violent scenes during the demonstrations. Kabogo made his comments during a public appearance in Nakuru on Friday. He expressed hope that such drastic action would never be needed again. The minister stressed that peaceful protests remain a constitutional right for all citizens. The Communications Authority of Kenya faced serious legal challenges over the broadcast blackout. Officials told the High Court that they never imposed a complete media ban on June 25th coverage. Authority bosses argued their decision protected public safety and national security during the unrest. They claimed live TV footage made the protests more dangerous and encouraged lawbreaking. The agency responded to angry complaints from journalist unions about press freedom violations. David Mugonyi leads the Communications Authority and filed court papers defending the controversial move. He stated that routine monitoring showed live broadcasts were making tensions worse across the country. Mugonyi pointed to specific laws that require broadcasters to avoid content that incites violence. The authority chief emphasized that the restrictions only lasted for one day. He asked judges to throw out the lawsuit filed against his agency. Media lawyers and journalist groups continue fighting the government decision through the courts. They argue that blocking live coverage violated basic press freedoms guaranteed under the constitution. The Communications Authority maintains that broadcasters have responsibilities to prevent harmful programming. Officials stress that their actions were temporary and narrowly focused on preventing disorder. [/QUOTE]

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