Pastor Ezekiel Odero has now moved to the High Court in a bid to reinstate operations of his TV station, World Evangelism TV, which was suspended by the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA).
This is after the Communications and Media Appeals Tribunal said it did not have a quorum to hear their appeal.
Through lawyer Danstan Omari, Odero wants the court to stay the decision of the CA to temporarily suspend the operation of World Evangelism Television.
“The court to issue an order of Mandamus directing the CA to reinstate the broadcast license and frequency for the TV station,” reads court papers.
Omari argues that by shutting the World Evangelism TV, Pastor Odero is unjustly deprived of his primary means of preaching and sharing the gospel, thus infringing upon his freedom of religion.
He says that last week, the media tribunal chairperson informed them that one of their members, Collins Wanderi, had submitted correspondence declaring his intention to abstain from participating in any further tribunal activities.
Omari argues that CA has unreasonably denied Odero and his congregation their freedom of religion, right to property and is curtailing the freedom as decreed under the constitution.
“Suspension of the church’s known television without sufficient prior notice and an opportunity to be heard is part of an unconstitutional path that the CA has taken to frustrate the ministry for they know too well that he is innocent,” he argues.
In his affidavit, Odero says it is evident that the state has connived a malicious scheme against him which is aimed at frustrating him and his ministry and unless the court intervenes, they will continue issuing illegal directives with the aim of not only frustrating him but also threaten the existence of New Life Prayer Center and Church.
“The Ministry has always run the TV station to the required standards and dutifully filed the relevant documentation with the CA and thus the recent directive by the CA has been made in another attempt to frustrate me,” reads court documents.