CA Cleared to Revoke Radio Maisha & Spice FM Licences in Standard Group Crackdown

The Communications and Multimedia Appeals Tribunal has given the green light to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to revoke six broadcasting licences owned by the Standard Media Group over unpaid fees amounting to Ksh48.9 million.

The affected stations include Radio Maisha, Spice FM, Vybez Radio, Berur FM, KTN Burudani, and KTN News.

Tribunal backs CA decision

In a ruling delivered on Friday, March 27, the tribunal dismissed an appeal filed by the Standard Media Group PLC, confirming that the Communications Authority acted lawfully and followed the Kenya Information and Communications Act (KICA).

The tribunal said the media house failed to clear its annual licence fees and the Universal Service Fund (USF) levy for several years, even after being given repeated notices and extensions.

How the debt was built up

According to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), the total outstanding amount stands at Ksh48,874,524.10. This includes Ksh13.88 million in licence fees and about Ksh34.99 million in USF levy arrears.

The CA stated that the company had been warned several times about non-compliance, but the payments were not made as required under the licensing terms.

A Notice of Contravention was issued on December 4, 2023, giving the media group 45 days to comply. The notice expired on January 17, 2024, without full settlement of the debt.

After this, CA issued formal Notices of Revocation on September 24, 2024, targeting all the affected stations.

Attempts to resolve the matter

The regulator revealed that it had held several meetings with Standard Group in an effort to resolve the issue. These meetings took place on June 14, 2023, December 4, 2023, and February 9, 2024.

Despite these discussions, the issue remained unresolved, leading to further enforcement action.

Later, on April 9, 2025, CA informed the media house that it would proceed to publish revocation notices in the Kenya Gazette after earlier notices lapsed.

Standard Group’s defence rejected

In its appeal, the Standard Group did not dispute the existence of the debt. However, it argued that it had entered into a payment agreement in December 2024.

The plan reportedly included an initial payment of Ksh10 million, a further Ksh3 million after a rights issue, and the rest to be cleared through monthly instalments.

The media house also claimed that revoking the licences violated constitutional rights, including freedom of expression and access to information.

However, the tribunal ruled that the CA had acted within the law and had given the company enough time and opportunity to comply.

It further stated that obligations under KICA are clear and must be followed by all licensed broadcasters without exception.

Click to join our WhatsApp Channel

Click to join our WhatsApp Channel for real-time updates.