The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has directed all media houses to strictly enforce a mandatory seven-second delay on all live broadcasts without exception.

They warned that full legal responsibility for any content aired on their platform’s rests squarely with them.

The advisory, issued on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, comes against the backdrop of what the Council described as an increase in inflammatory statements, misinformation and manipulated media content broadcast through media platforms.

This included what it termed unchecked live broadcasts of public rallies, which breach the Code of Conduct for Media Practice in Kenya.

The MCK anchors its directive on Clause 11 of the Code of Conduct for Media Practice in Kenya, which explicitly states: “A media enterprise shall incorporate a minimum seven-second delay in live broadcasts to prevent the unintended publication of material that violates this Code.”

The Council was firm on the question of accountability.

“While exposing unguarded or irresponsible statements by public figures serves the public interest by enabling citizens to scrutinize their leaders, any legal infractions arising from such content, whether hate speech or other harmful material, ultimately attract legal responsibility on the part of the platform or publisher that disseminates it,” MCK noted.

On reporting sensitive content, MCK directed that editorial content, news items or commentaries are not published in a manner likely to inflame passions or aggravate tensions.

“When reporting hate speech for public-interest purposes, offensive words must be redacted,” MCK added.

The Council further clarified that although the MCK and the media sector are not responsible for utterances made at political rallies or other public gatherings.

Once such remarks are transmitted via a media platform, they become subject to media regulations, and called on all media houses to remain vigilant and to take pre-emptive action to avoid breaching the Code of Ethics.

The advisory reaffirmed MCK’s broader position that a well-regulated media ecosystem should uphold freedom of expression while ensuring responsibility and accountability, in a manner that promotes public interest journalism and strengthens democratic governance across the country.

“The MCK affirms that a well-regulated media ecosystem should uphold freedom of expression while ensuring responsibility and accountability,” the council added.