Pastor Ezekiel Odero has appealed against the decision of the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) to suspend a broadcast license issued to his television station World Evangelism TV.
In an appeal filed at the Communication and Multimedia Appeals Tribunal, the embattled pastor contends the CA’s decision to abruptly close the tv station saying it was done unfairly.
The Communication Authority of Kenya announced the closure of the TV owned by Odero, two weeks ago for allegedly airing inappropriate content on exorcism during the watershed period. The TV station is said to have violated 12 other regulations.
Through lawyer Danstan Omari, Odero challenged the said decision arguing it was a glaring manifestation of discrimination and extreme unfairness.
“The ministry has always run the television station to the required standards and dutifully filed the relevant documentation with the Communication Authority of Kenya,” he says in the documents filed at the tribunal.
According to the Pastor, his TV station only airs church programs and does not run commercials.
“It is essential to underscore that the TV station under scrutiny is exclusively dedicated to propagating the gospel, embodying a mission of promoting goodwill and spiritual guidance. Consequently, the contention arises that the station’s closure lacks justifiable grounds, as it fails to demonstrate any tangible negative impact upon any concerned parties,” he says.
According to Odero, the station has a fully accredited manager by the Media Council of Kenya who has a team of four staff currently undergoing a three months media ethics session that commenced on May 1 this year.
On the issue raised by CA concerning the profanity delay mechanism, Odero says they have a mechanism in the transmission that allows a delay of more than ten seconds for broadcast before it goes on air that is operated by the programmer of the day.
