A coalition of 27 international organizations and Kenyan associations has voiced alarm over potential internet and media disruptions during the upcoming #RejectFinanceBill2024 demonstrations. The groups, which include prominent content creators, lawyers, medical professionals, and human rights advocates, warn that any such actions would constitute significant violations of fundamental human rights.
The anticipated demonstrations aim to protest against the 2024 Finance Bill, which has sparked widespread public debate and concern over its economic implications. The #RejectFinanceBill2024 hashtag has become a focal point for organizing and dialogue on social media, symbolizing broader discontent and civic engagement.
“Shutting down or throttling the internet, shadow banning hashtags, or imposing a mass media ban on live reporting would be a gross violation of fundamental human rights,” the coalition stated. “It will undermine the legitimate rights of people to organize, demonstrate, and participate in policymaking processes.”
The coalition emphasized that the internet and mass media are indispensable for public information, self-expression, e-commerce, and the digital economy, which constitutes nearly 10% of Kenya’s GDP. Disruptions, they argue, would escalate national uncertainty, impede emergency services, and harm economic activities.
“Disrupting mass communication will also increase national uncertainty, cut off the public and authorities from reliable updates, choke the timely deployment of emergency medical services, and hamper the tracing of missing persons,” the statement continued. “Internet shutdowns halt online transactions, slow down economic activity, and cause economic harm.”
The warning comes in the wake of documented instances where governments have resorted to total or partial internet shutdowns in response to public protests, as noted in the ACCESS 2023 report. Such measures often obscure severe human rights violations, including state-sanctioned violence, abductions, and killings.
The coalition called on the Kenyan government to uphold its legal obligations under both national and international frameworks, which protect the rights to conscience, opinion, self-expression, and association. They urged the government and the Communications Authority to ensure that Kenyans have access to an open, reliable, secure, and free internet and press.
“At this critical democratic juncture in Kenya, it is important that the Government of Kenya appreciates the crucial role of the internet and mass media in policy discourse and refrains from any form of internet shutdown or media interference,” the statement urged.
Furthermore, the coalition appealed to social media platforms to resist any governmental attempts to censor or restrict access during the protests. “Should the Government of Kenya attempt to block or restrict social and mass media during the #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests, we urge social media platforms to push back and uphold freedoms enshrined in Kenya’s constitution and international human rights standards,” the organizations stated.
Signatories of the statement include Access Now, Amnesty International Kenya, Article 19 Eastern Africa, Law Society of Kenya, The Police Reforms Working Group, Bloggers Association of Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission, and the Kenya Medical Association.
