The High Court has urged the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) and the Media Law Association to unify their efforts in the recent blackout of the media amid protests.

The case arose after the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) issued a directive suspending live coverage of ongoing protests on June 25, 2025, citing concerns that such broadcast could incite violence.

During the court session on Wednesday, Justice Chacha Mwita questioned the need for multiple petitions with similar objectives, noting that the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Kenya Editors Guide (KEG) had already filed a similar case.

The petitioners’ counsel, Ibrahim Oduor, expressed willingness to join the LSK and KEG petition as co-petitioners.

However, the judge raised concerns over procedural issues.

He stated that consolidation could not move forward without proper service of court documents.

“I cannot consolidate a matter that has not been served with a matter that has made progress,” he said.

“I am not satisfied that the pleadings therein are served. Let pleadings be served,” Justice Mwita ruled.

The court noted that the various applications challenging the directive raised similar issues, hence should be consolidated into one case.

The petition filed by the Law Society of Kenya raised constitutional issues on press freedom and the right to information and freedom of expression.

In Addition, the Court set to hear the petition on October 27, 2025.