NAIROBI, Kenya – In a dramatic turn of events, the international hacktivist group Anonymous has issued a stark warning to the Kenyan government, demanding respect for the rule of law and the right to protest for participants of the #RejectFinanceBill2024 movement.
This comes in the wake of widespread reports of police abuse during Tuesday’s protest against the controversial Financial Bill 2024.
Over 200 youthful protestors, who were largely peaceful, were arrested alongside several journalists.
The Media Council of Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya have condemned the excessive use of force by the police, noting that some journalists sustained injuries while covering the protests.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International-Kenya, have also expressed outrage over the police’s actions.
The crackdown on peaceful demonstrators has drawn sharp criticism, highlighting “the government’s disregard for fundamental human rights.”
In a video message posted on X-formerly Twitter-, Anonymous threatened to unleash a series of cyberattacks against Kenyan government officials.
The group warned of exposing deep secrets about corrupt practices within the government if the abuses do not cease.
They also called on Members of Parliament to reject the Financial Bill 2024, which has sparked widespread opposition due to its punitive measures.
The Government has since axed some of the contentious tax proposals, but the protestors want more meaningful changes made.
President William Ruto said the protestors were free to exercise their democratic rights, but added that decisions will be made by Government institutions.
The scenes of Tuesday’s protest, with police officers using teargas and batons to disperse the peaceful crowd, have attracted sharp condemnation.
A section of Members of Parliament have dismissed the series of protests, saying the GenZ who participated were looking for TikTok views.
