Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, a close ally of Raila Odinga, deleted a controversial social media post after a wave of public backlash over his call to ban BBC Africa from operating in Kenya.
In his now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), Kaluma harshly criticized a BBC Africa Eye documentary that investigates alleged police killings during the June 25 protests against the Finance Bill 2024.
He labeled the report “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,” he 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 swift outrage online, with many Kenyans accusing the MP of undermining press freedom and attempting to silence credible investigations into police brutality.
Under mounting pressure, Kaluma took down the post — though screenshots remain widely shared.
The BBC Africa Eye investigation, released earlier this week, features graphic footage and testimony alleging that police officers shot and killed unarmed protesters during the nationwide anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.
