美国国家公共电台 NPR As Government Ignores Court Order, Kenya's Media Blackout Continues

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MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Kenya is in the fourth day of a major crackdown on the opposition¹ and the media. It all comes after the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, declared himself president despite losing an election. The government responded by switching off news stations and arresting his associates. NPR's Eyder Peralta reports it is now also ignoring court orders to reverse course.

EYDER PERALTA, BYLINE²: The day here in Nairobi starts with an explosion and gunfire as police breach³ the wall of Miguna Miguna's house. The opposition lawyer had stood next to opposition leader Raila Odinga when he declared himself president. Yesterday, Miguna Miguna dared the government to make good on its promise and arrest him for a ceremony the government said was treason. Today the police pounced⁴. And as his supporters arrived, they fired tear gas to disperse⁵ them.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: The power is with the people again.

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PERALTA: Across town, civil rights activist⁶ and lawyer Okiya Omtatah was trying to unravel⁷ another standoff. He sued the government over its decision to shut down three major news stations, and Kenya's high court issued an injunction. The government, they said, should turn on the stations immediately. But Omtatah was trying to deliver the order to the Communications Authority and a police officer stopped him at the gate. He says maybe Kenyans got complacent⁸. They were lulled⁹ by a constitution that's considered one of the most progressive on the continent. But Omtatah says the constitution is only as good as those who implement¹⁰ it, so it's time to go back to the trenches¹¹ and defend the gains.

OKIYA OMTATAH: So I think - so I crawled back through the trenches to protect the little gains we have made.

PERALTA: The government has remained quiet on this issue. They haven't put out statements and have ignored the high court order. President Uhuru Kenyatta did make a public appearance, but didn't allow for any questions.

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PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTA: (Foreign language spoken).

PERALTA: Instead he told reporters to pack and get out. Late this afternoon, a court also ordered Miguna Miguna to be released on bail¹². But his lawyers didn't know where he'd been taken, and the government wasn't being forthcoming. Okiya Omtatah spent the rest of his day notifying whomever he could find. He gave the order to the attorney general, to the ministers for interior and information, but the TV stations remained dark. Eyder Peralta, NPR News, Nairobi.