Information, Communication and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Hon. William Kabogo appearing before Committee on Delegated Legislation. Photo Andrew Mbuva. 
By Andrew Mbuva
Members of the National Assembly’s Committee on Delegated Legislation have expressed fears that the new proposed Code of Conduct for Media Practice, 2025 could significantly curtail press freedom in Kenya, particularly through provisions targeting live coverage and punitive measures for journalists.
Led by Committee Chair Hon. Samuel Chepkonga (Ainabkoi) and Vice Chair Hon. Robert Gichimu (Gichugu), MPs warned that while the new Code seeks to modernize media operations, it could unfairly punish individual journalists while shielding media owners from accountability.
One of the most contentious proposals is a mandatory seven-second delay on live broadcasts, aimed at preventing the airing of inappropriate or non-compliant content. Lawmakers also raised concerns over new heavy penalties for misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in newsrooms, especially the publication of misleading AI-generated content.
Other provisions include the strict separation of betting or gaming content from general news, and sanctions against misleading headlines that fail to reflect the actual story.
Despite the concerns, Information, Communication and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Hon. William Kabogo defended the proposed changes during a session with the Committee. He explained that the Code is a revision of existing standards under the Media Council Act and was developed after broad consultations.
“In May 2025, I enacted Legal Notice No. 88, replacing the Second Schedule to the Media Council Act with this revised Code,” said CS Kabogo. “It is aligned with global standards on digital media, ethical journalism, and child protection.”
Principal Secretary for Telecommunications and Broadcasting, Stephen Isaboke, backed the CS’s position, stating that the draft underwent wide-ranging public participation spearheaded by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK).
MCK CEO David Omwoyo confirmed that journalist unions and media organizations were part of the consultations, emphasizing that industry input was factored into the final draft.
Even so, MPs urged caution, stressing the need to strike a balance between upholding ethical journalism and safeguarding media freedom in a democratic society.
