The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has ordered Sasa TV, a station owned by controversial Nairobi pastor James Ng’ang’a, to be shut down.
In its statement by CA Director-General Ezra Chiloba, Neno Evangelism Centre in which Sasa TV operates under, was ordered to stop airing live programmes for six months, effective immediately.
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“The Communications Authority of Kenya has directed M/S Neno Evangelism Centre, a broadcaster operating as SASA TV, to stop airing live programming with immediate effect. This directive shall be observed for a period of six months,” read the CA’s statement in part.
The decision was arrived at following investigations done on the station which aired inappropriate content during the watershed period on October 3, 2021.
The statement revealed that Sasa TV had violated provisions of the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998, Broadcasting Regulations, 2009, the Programming Code, and Broadcasting License Conditions.
Sasa TV was directed to ensure that it has adequate and qualified personnel duly accredited by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK).
The Authority also directed the broadcaster to ensure that staff undergo mandatory training on appropriate operations of the Profanity Delay Mechanism system, management of live broadcasts, broadcasting legal framework, consumer protection, and complaints handling.
“The station has also been ordered to develop and implement adequate internal controls to ensure compliance with broadcast content standards,” added the statement.
“Non-adherence to these directives may attract further sanctions including revocation of SASA TV’s license. The Authority urges all licensed broadcasters to ensure full compliance to broadcasting standards set out in the various provisions of the law.”
MCK’s statement issued on Thursday, October 28 had faulted the station for providing him with the platform to address not just his church audience but to his TV audiences who were watching from home.
It was referring to a video clip that went viral on social media on Sunday, October 9 where he warned Kenyan nurses against groping his private parts in the event of his death.
“The Council notes that the media house in question breached clauses 5 (b) (c) on Accountability and 10 (1) on Obscenity, Taste and Tone in Reporting by allowing a presenter, Apostle James Maina Ng’ang’a in a live broadcast from ‘Jerusalem City Kenya’ at 1024 hours where he uttered offensive and unprintable words on air.
“We have subsequently directed the media outlet to show cause why action should not be taken against it, further to which the Council will institute relevant sanctions in line with our mandate,” read its statement in part.
