Kenyan Government Warned Against Shutting Down of Internet During #RejectFinanceBill2024 Demonstrations

By Samuel Ouma

The international organisations and Kenyan associations of content creators,

lawyers, medical officers and human rights defenders have issued a stern warning to the Kenyan government against shutting down the internet during the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests slated for June 25.

Reacting to speculations that President Ruto’s administration is planning to shut down the internet and ban live mass media reporting, the organisation said the move would undermine the legitimate rights of people to organise, demonstrate, and participate in policymaking processes.

“We call upon the Government of Kenya and the Communications Authority to affirm

that the people of Kenya can access an open, reliable, secure and free internet and a free press at a time

when they need it the most," said the organisations.

In a statement, they noted that disrupting mass communication will also increase national uncertainty, cut off the public and authorities from reliable updates, and choke the timely deployment of emergency medical services and tracing missing persons.

They added that Internet shutdowns further halt online transactions, slow down economic activity and cause economic harm.

“Internet and mass media disruptions severely restrict human rights monitoring and reporting of government ‘security operations”.

The organisations said there is a tendency for the government to order total or partial internet shutdowns to respond to public protests.

According to them, this is used to cover up grave violations of human rights, state-sanctioned violence against peaceful protestors, abductions and killings.

They urged social media platforms to push back and uphold freedoms enshrined in Kenya's constitution and international human rights standards should the government block or restrict social media and mass media.