Kenyan sports fans will now be forced to find alternative ways of watching live matches following the latest government directive targeting streaming websites.
The government has been compelled to permanently block 44 websites in the country after a High Court ruling delivered on Thursday, June 23.
Through a verdict issued by Justice Wilfrida Okwany, the government has been ordered to shut down the streaming websites in collaboration with Internet Service Providers (ISP) for allegedly pirating sports content.
Justice Okwany noted that most sports fans were using the websites to illegally stream live matches which is against copyright rules.
The sites flagged mostly air English Premier League, La Liga, Champions League, Europa League, Formula 1, and NBA among others.
The move is aimed at encouraging sports fans to watch matches through legally authorised sites in the country.
While making the ruling, Justice Okwany explained that internet providers have failed on their part to exercise their mandate in complying with the take down notice of websites infringing on copyrighted materials.
Following the ruling, some of the internet providers vowed to block the blacklisted websites in the next 72 hours.
"A person whose rights have been infringed by content to which access is being offered by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) may request by way of a takedown notice that the ISP removes the infringing content," the Copyright Act stipulates.
Here are the websites set to be blocked:
1. Totalsportek
2. ronaldo7
3. stream-cr7
4. ripple
5. vipleague
6. livesoccertv
7. livesport
8. soccer-live stream
9. LiveTV
10. vipbox live
11. sportnews
12. jokerlivestream
13. Cricfree
14. Fullmatchesandshows
15. Vipboxtv
16. liveharleyquinnwidget
17. Messistream
18. Yalla-shoot
19. HD streams
20. Cdn livetvcdn
21. Firstsrowsports
22. Livefootballol
23. Miradetodo
24. Livestream
25.Tvball7
26. Skytivi
27. Freeintertv
28. Vipstand
29. Extremotvplay
30. Stream2watch
31. Oeb
32. Ishunter
33. Myfeed2all
34. Barcelona stream
35. sport stream
36. Cricfree
37. Indiostv
38. Sport365 live
39. Kora-online TV
40. Stream woop
41. Sportzonline
42. Sportv
43. Rojadirecta
44. Cricsports