Nairobi — Radio stations that flout broadcast regulations and guidelines risk having their licences cancelled.

Information and Communications minister Raphael Tuju yesterday said that a circular had been sent to all radio and television stations warning them of the consequences of disregarding professional ethics.

Mr Tuju said the Government had restrained itself from closing down some radio stations to protect the freedom of the media and speech.

Complaints, he said, had been received on Kiss FM, Eldoret-based Sayare radio, Kisumu's Victoria FM, Royal Media's Citizen and Radio Ramogi.

Ministerial statement

He was giving a ministerial statement as requested by Mr Gideon Ndambuki (Kaiti, Kanu), last week.

Mr Ndambuki had claimed that some radio stations were inciting Kenyans against each other and were likely to plunge the country into civil strife.

The Kanu MP said some FM stations, which he did not name, were using the freedom of the media to malign people and communities who could not defend themselves.

Said Mr Ndambuki: "This House would like to be told if these radio stations have the right to malign others under the guise of covering the referendum."

The Kaiti MP had asked the minister to explain what guidelines the stations were following, and what action would be taken against them if they were found to have incited Kenyans.

Mr Ndambuki said if the stations were not careful, the country could go the Rwanda way where an FM station was used to incite the genocide that led to deaths of thousands of people.

Issued broadcast permits

Yesterday, Mr Tuju said that over the last 10 years, his ministry had issued broadcast permits to 31 FM radio stations and nine private television stations.

He said that under the current broadcast regulations issued by the Communications Commission of Kenya, all the stations were required to conduct themselves responsibly and to adhere to professional ethics.

The stations are required to stick to regulations on decency, respect to the privacy of individuals, copyright and to ensure that the advertisements they aired were not offensive.

Mr Tuju said the ministry had received a lot of complaints from the public on broadcasters who flouted the rules. Some of the complaints received were about broadcasts that fanned hatred against communities, incited communities against lawful authority, and infringed on the privacy of individuals.