The High Court has issued a conservatory order temporarily preventing Joseph Maina Muiruri and three other board appointments from being sworn in as Chairman of the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), in a stunning legal turn of events that has sent shockwaves across Kenya’s media and governance sectors.
Justice Bahati Mwamuye’s decision, which was given on Tuesday, August 5, represents a major legal defeat for ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo, who reappointed Muiruri and his associates in a July 25, 2025, gazette notice.
The court order restrains Muiruri, Susan Karago, Timothy Wanyonyi Chetambe, and Tabitha Mutemi from assuming office or performing any duties associated with the MCK board. The petitioners, in their challenge, accused the ICT CS of acting prematurely and unlawfully by making appointments before the conclusion of an ongoing recruitment process overseen by a legally mandated selection panel.
According to their lawyer, Peter Wanyama, the CS’s move not only violated the Media Council Act but also undermined the integrity of the appointment process. “The Cabinet Secretary’s decision to appoint them before the Panel concludes the process patently violates the Media Council Act and short-circuits the process,” Wanyama stated.
The petitioners warned that such political overreach could compromise the independence of the Media Council, a critical watchdog in safeguarding media freedom under Article 34 of the Constitution.
Maina Muiruri, a veteran journalist and founding Managing Editor of People Daily, previously served a full term as MCK Chair beginning in 2021. Though highly regarded in media circles, his reappointment has now become the focal point of a broader debate on transparency, accountability, and the separation of powers in public appointments.
The ruling, pending a full hearing, has amplified calls for procedural fidelity in government actions and reinforced the judiciary’s role as a bulwark against executive overreach.
