A coalition of digital rights and civil society organisations, including KICTANet, Paradigm Initiative, CIPESA, AIRA, and the Internet Society Kenya Chapter, has issued a joint statement condemning the recent Internet shutdown in Kenya during the #RejectFinanceBill2024 demonstrations. The statement, released on Wednesday, highlights significant concerns about the implications of the shutdown on constitutional rights and economic stability.
Despite assurances from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) on June 24, 2024, that Internet access would not be restricted during the protests, events on June 25th revealed a starkly different reality. NetBlocks, a global Internet observatory, confirmed an Internet outage on that day, contradicting the CA’s previous statements.
Telecommunications giants Safaricom and Airtel attributed the disruptions to “outages on undersea cables.” However, the timing and extent of the outage have raised doubts among the public and digital rights advocates. The CA Director General had earlier acknowledged that Internet shutdowns would “sabotage our fast-growing digital economy” and assured that the CA had no intention of disrupting Internet traffic. The recent events, however, contradict these assurances.
The Internet Society estimates that the shutdown could cost Kenya’s economy approximately $6.3 million in lost GDP each day. The outage severely impacted mobile money services, credit and debit card transactions, and e-commerce platforms, highlighting the critical role of the Internet in the country’s economic activities.
The joint statement from the organisations calls for immediate clarification from Safaricom, Airtel, and other Internet Service Providers (ISPs) regarding who ordered the shutdown and whether there was any official directive from the government or regulatory bodies. The statement also demands that the CA, as the sector regulator, clarify its role during the shutdown and how its actions align with its commitment to maintain Internet connectivity.
Additionally, the coalition urges the Government of Kenya, including the Ministry of Information, Communications & The Digital Economy, and the Ministry of Interior & National Administration, to provide a comprehensive explanation for the Internet shutdown. The ministries are called upon to ensure transparency and accountability by disclosing any directives issued and the rationale behind them. The statement emphasises the need for the government to reaffirm its commitment to upholding constitutional rights, including freedom of expression, access to information, and peaceful assembly, and to take necessary measures to prevent future disruptions.
The organisations strongly denounce the arbitrary restriction of Internet access, underscoring its importance for economic development, social progress, and democratic governance. They remind the Kenyan government of the Access to Information Act 2016, which guarantees citizens the right to access information held by the state and other entities, and stress that unimpeded communication and government accountability are the cornerstones of a functioning democracy.
As the situation unfolds, Kenyans and international observers alike await a detailed response from the government and relevant authorities, hoping for a resolution that upholds the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya.
