Rights Groups call for uninterrupted Internet during Finance Bill 2024 protests

This comes after rumours circulated on the internet that the internet would be shut down during protests, specifically on Tuesday and Thursday, in order to impede communication among protesters.

According to Amnesty International Kenya, shutting down the internet, shadow banning hashtags, or imposing a mass media ban violates human rights. Moreover, they added that doing all this will illegitimatise the policy-making process.

The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) stated that the hashtag rejectfinancebill 2024 is more than just a trending topic; it is an avenue for Kenyans to effectively discuss the finance bill and its implications for them.

Amnesty stated the negative implications that this would have on people including uncertainty among people, lack of regular important updates, deployment of essential services such as ambulances, tracing of missing persons, and halting of online transactions which would eventually cause economic harm.

The NGO further said that the Kenyan Authorities have a constitutional right to protect the people of Kenya by upholding the right to protect opinions, self-expression, and conscience.

They have called on the government to assure the Kenyan people that they will have access to open, reliable, secure, and free internet when the people will need it most. They have also urged Kenyans not to relent and push back.