Judge Kihara Kariuki orders CCK to switch back analogue signal for Nairobi

BY BERNARD OGINGA

NAIROBI, KENYA: The court of appeal has ordered the Communications Commission of Kenya CCK to switch back analogue television broadcasting it had switched off for Nairobi and its environs pending an appeal filed by three media houses.

In a ruling read on behalf of the three judge bench, presiding Judge Kihara Kariuki ordered CCK to stop the transition to digital broadcasting for 45 days until February 6, 2014 when an appeal by the media houses will be heard.

The court will also give reasons for ordering the temporary return of analogue broadcasting on January 31, 2014.

Immediately after the court’s decision, all TV stations in Nairobi including those that had not opposed the immediate migration to digital broadcasting were back on analogue signal.

ICT Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi responded to the court’s ruling through his twitter handle writing: “My ministry will unfailingly and unreservedly comply with the Court of Appeal order halting digital migration.”

Court of Appeal Judges Paul Kihara Kariuki, Alnashir Visram and Hannah Okwengu heard the petition presented by Nation Media Group, Royal Media Services and the Standard Group.