We strongly urge the Kenyan government to refrain from enforcing any Internet shutdowns or information controls in response to the ongoing protests against the Finance Bill 2024 through the hashtag #RejectFinanceBill2024. Such measures would infringe on the fundamental rights and freedoms of Kenyans as well as negatively impact Kenya’s economy, democracy, and reputation in the eyes of the international community.
Kenya’s constitution and international human rights legislation safeguard the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and picketing, which would be violated by internet shutdowns, censorship, and other information controls. By preventing citizens from engaging in public conversation and holding the government accountable, internet disruptions subvert democratic processes.
A blackout of the internet in Kenya will have disastrous economic effects for example:
The #FinanceBill2024 has already encountered strong opposition, and in particular, using digital activism. This has prompted the Kenya government to withdraw several contentious clauses. This illustrates the value of having open lines of communication between the public and the government and the influence that public discourse may have.
We urge the government to respect democratic values, have an honest conversation with demonstrators, and answer their concerns transparently.
A peaceful resolution of the current crisis and the maintenance of Kenya’s democratic and economic development depend on keeping lines of communication open and protecting and prioritizing Internet access. For any clarification and media briefing, contact info@kictanet.or.ke.
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2024.
Unless otherwise stated, content on the APC website is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
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