(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 29 July 1998, the High Court in Nairobi declared a letter by Registrar-General Omondi-Mbago, in which he purported to have rejected an application to register “The Star”, to be of no consequence. Justice J. Oguk granted the newspaper “leave to apply for orders of certiorari and prohibition as a stay of the […]
(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 29 July 1998, the High Court in Nairobi declared a letter
by Registrar-General Omondi-Mbago, in which he purported to have rejected an
application to register “The Star”, to be of no consequence. Justice J. Oguk
granted the newspaper “leave to apply for orders of certiorari and
prohibition as a stay of the Registrar-General’s letter dated July 10, 1998
pending determination of the suit.” The paper may resume publication.
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 31, 28, 24, 23, 17, 15 and 14 July 1998**
Oguk’s order also restrained the police and any other agents from
interfering with the operations of “The Star”.
Background Information
On 10 July, Omondi-Mbago is said to have rejected the registration of the
“The Star” as well as of the publications “Finance” and “The Post on Sunday”
under the provisions of the Books and Newspapers Act. The move was the
latest in an increasing number of press freedom violations in Kenya. On 29
June, Magayu Magayu, editor of “The Star”, and Francis Mathenge Wanderi,
managing director of Star Publishers Ltd., were charged with publishing an
“alarming” publication, which was said to cause fear and alarm among the
public (see IFEX alerts).
