Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma was forced to delete a controversial social media post after facing widespread backlash for calling for the banning of BBC Africa in Kenya.
Kaluma’s now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter) criticized a BBC Africa Eye documentary that investigates alleged police killings during the June 25 protests against the Finance Bill 2024.
He described the report as “twisted, partial, reckless, and intended to incite chaos in Kenya,” and urged President William Ruto’s government to revoke the broadcaster’s license.
“Ban @BBCAfrica in Kenya,” Kaluma wrote. “The role played by the media in any democracy is too important to be discharged irresponsibly… Lest we forget, the Rwanda Genocide would not have occurred were it not for reckless media.”
The remarks sparked immediate outrage online, with many Kenyans accusing Kaluma of attempting to suppress press freedom and discredit serious allegations of police brutality.
Kaluma’s post on X account that he later deleted.
Amid growing criticism, he deleted the post — though screenshots of it continue to circulate widely.
The BBC documentary, released earlier this week, includes disturbing footage and eyewitness accounts alleging that unarmed protesters were shot and killed by police during demonstrations against the Finance Bill.
