A local television station, Mt.Kenya TV, might have just woken up to a bad nightmare after the authorities suspended its broadcasting licence for violation of programming standards.

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) released a statement saying that it had received a complaint against the vernacular station. This was about inappropriate content that was aired on 19th April at 2 pm.

Press statement by @CADirectorGen @WanjauMercy on regulatory action taken against Mount Kenya TV channel for violation of Programming Standards. cc @citizentvkenya @KTNNewsKE @ntvkenya @KBCChannel1 @GhettoRadio895 @RadioCitizenFM @Tuko_co_ke @Kenyans pic.twitter.com/0Sn9rGXl7V

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— CA@20 (@CA_Kenya) April 28, 2021

“Upon preliminary assessment, the Authority noted that the TV Channel has, during its “Mucii was Ciiana” programme, featured an animated movie, entitled Free Jimmy, containing scenes of sexually explicit content, drug abuse, robbery and violence in blatant breach of the Programming Code and the ICT sector law,” reads CA’s statement.

“In particular, the Authority established that licensee had aired adult content during the watershed period, and at a time when most children were at home during the school holidays, thus occasioning grievous harm to the minors who may have been exposed to the offensive content.”

Other than the license suspension, Mt.Kenya TV, owned by M/s Slopes Media House Ltd, will also have to pay a fine of KES 500,000. The channel has been directed to go off air from mid-day 28th April for a minimum period of four weeks.

According to the CA, this period will be used by Mt.Kenya TV to put in place appropriate safeguards to ensure compliance with its license terms and conditions. The station will only be allowed to go back on air after the Communications Authority confirms that it has complied with all the current compliance issues.