The Media Complaints Commission (MCC) has directed the Nation Media Group (NMG) to issue a public correction over a controversial documentary that falsely linked the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church to religious extremism and occult practices.
The ruling, issued on Thursday, June 19, follows a complaint lodged by an SDA church member who accused NTV, NMG’s television arm, of misrepresenting the church in its April 7, 2024 documentary titled “Holy Betrayal: Full SDA Cult Exposé.”
The MCC found that the documentary breached the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya, particularly clauses related to accuracy and fairness.
The commission concluded that the broadcast made unsubstantiated and misleading associations between the SDA Church and extremist groups, including comparisons to the Shakahola Massacre, in which dozens of followers of cult leader Paul Mackenzie died under mysterious circumstances.
“The MCC found the programme’s overarching narrative, sensational title and repeated unsubstantiated parallels between the SDA Church and extremist groups to be unfair,” the watchdog stated in its ruling.
To rectify the breach, MCC has ordered Nation Media Group to: Publish a prominent disclaimer on all online versions of the documentary within 14 days, clearly stating that there is no proven link between the SDA Church and extremist organizations.
However, MCC rejected the complainant’s request to permanently remove the documentary from all platforms.
The commission also dismissed the claim that the broadcast caused measurable reputational harm to the global religious organization.
In response to the broadcast in April 2024, the SDA Church leadership strongly condemned the documentary, terming it demeaning, inaccurate, and produced in bad faith.
“We, the SDA Church, take great exception to the assertions of connections between Shakahola and the story that largely highlighted the troubles of one family and some people who do not qualify to be called Adventists,” the church said in a public statement.
The documentary claimed that an SDA offshoot in Nyanza discouraged formal education and modern healthcare, and that some professionals were abandoning their careers due to religious radicalisation.
However, the SDA Church firmly denied these allegations, stating that any splinter groups do not reflect the official teachings or practices of the denomination.
“The Seventh-day Adventist Church, therefore, cannot be dragged into activities of any splinter groups or offshoots which do not adhere to the teachings and practices of the church,” the church leadership emphasized.
This case has reignited a national conversation about media responsibility, especially when covering religious matters.
While the MCC upheld the principle of press freedom, it emphasized the need for responsible journalism and accurate reporting to avoid causing unnecessary public fear or religious stigmatization.
The Nation Media Group is expected to comply with the ruling in the coming days, as calls continue for more rigorous editorial oversight in coverage involving sensitive societal institutions.
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