NAIROBI, Kenya — The Communications and Multimedia Appeals Tribunal has upheld the Communications Authority of Kenya’s (CA) decision to revoke six broadcasting licences held by the Standard Media Group due to outstanding fees totaling Ksh48.9 million.
The licences affected include Radio Maisha, Spice FM, Vybez Radio, Berur FM, KTN Burudani, and KTN News.
In a ruling delivered on Friday, March 27, the tribunal dismissed an appeal by Standard Media Group PLC, affirming that CA’s planned revocation was lawful under the Kenya Information and Communications Act (KICA).
The tribunal highlighted the media house’s failure to pay annual licence fees and the Universal Service Fund (USF) levy over several years, despite repeated reminders from CA.
Each licence requires annual payment of these obligations, which the media group neglected even after extensions and regulatory concessions.
CA previously issued a Notice of Contravention on December 4, 2023, valid for 45 days until January 17, 2024, citing non-compliance with licence terms. Following continued non-payment, Notices of Revocation were sent on September 24, 2024.
The regulator also held multiple meetings with Standard Media on June 14, 2023, December 4, 2023, and February 9, 2024, seeking to resolve the outstanding debts, but the issues persisted.
On April 9, 2025, CA informed the media house of plans to publish revocation notices in the Kenya Gazette, following the lapse of prior notifications on March 24, 2025.
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“The outstanding amount is currently Ksh48,874,524.10, comprising licence fees of Ksh13,880,334.37 and the USF levy of Ksh34,994,189.73,” CA stated.
Standard Media acknowledged the debt but cited a December 24, 2024, agreement proposing a payment plan involving an initial Ksh10 million settlement, a further Ksh3 million following a rights issue, and subsequent monthly instalments.
The group argued that CA’s revocation notices breached this agreement and violated constitutional rights related to freedom of expression and public communication.
The tribunal, however, ruled that CA had offered multiple opportunities over a sustained period for compliance, noting that obligations under KICA are clear, non-negotiable, and enforceable, and dismissed Standard Media’s appeal.
