“Activist Mutemi Kiama at the Milimani Law Court, Nairobi on April 7, 2021. He was arrested over viral graphics he allegedly made warning the world against issuing loans to Kenya” (Nation Africa, 07.04.2021).
I didn’t think Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta would sink so low. His now arresting people for the same reasons like the other Presidents in the region have arrested people for mocking them. Museveni has arrested a comedy group for a joke. Nkurunziza arrested someone for painting on his picture. Magufuli arrested a comedian for making a face-off on social media. Now, Kenyatta is following their steps and copying them even.
Activist Kiama made a poster with Kenyatta on it. It got circulated on social media and apparently went viral. This was made as a part of the cancelling loans from the International Monetary Funds (IMF). As the Kenyan Government have already excessive and huge a debt burden, as is…
That is why activists are against taking up more loans … since next generation will have to repay these loans and fork up taxes to pay down on these. These odious loans will haunt the republic and the interests will be a burden on the general public. Because, the current administration is eating heavily and spending more funds than their revenue. This is why the shortcomings of the spending is fixed by loans to cover the deficits created by the same state.
Kenyatta and his allies is maybe favourable of this idea. Since they are eating and enjoyed years of misusing funds. They have paid ghosts and kick-backs to each other. That has been a good business and very profitable. So, when people are mocking that and questioning that. That is clearly an offence and not allowed to do.
Kiama have only done his duty as a citizen. Maybe you don’t like the manner of which he did it. Nevertheless, he used his voice and spread his opinion. The poster is funny and makes you smirk. You know the authorities and the state is lacking compassion and heart. When someone is arrested for making this. If someone gets arrested for this, what is the next criminal offence?
Is the President a Demigod who you cannot mock now? Is Kenyatta the sole proprietor of the state and no one should make jokes about him? Is it illegal to make satire and question his office? Is borrowing money from IMF a holy cow for the elite in the Republic?
This holy cow being the image and mocking the President. That is now a cyber crime and says more about how little the authorities values liberty or freedom of speech. If someone is arrested over as little as this. You know that anyone can become a criminal. Heck, everyone can become serial criminals. If they start to scan through WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook or anywhere else.
There will be so many who has mocked, lazed jokes and even spread the memo of toying around with the President. That is just natural and a Head of State should have the character to brush it off. If he cannot manage this… how can he manage to rule a nation or even be mentally stable to discuss national importance. When he has to go after activists like this…
Kenyatta is really not that great when this happens to Kiama. However, some of us saw that coming when the likes of “Cyprian is Nyakundi” have gotten his phones, lap-tops and other equipments confiscated by the authorities before. Therefore, Kiama isn’t the only who ended up with this.
Kiama just made a poster and was participating in a social media campaign. That shouldn’t be a crime, but instead be a way to enlighten the public about the problems the loans are causing. This should worry the President and the state should explain why they need more loans to carry its weight. Instead of arresting people for wanting them to not take it.
President Kenyatta has used a bitch move now. It’s insincere and show his insecurity. Now the public cannot humiliate him or play around with him. If they do… they shouldn’t do it on Social Media. If they do.. it can easily become a cyber crime and show what sort of bitch the President is. Who cannot manage some fun criticism. That’s because his not yet told the world that his Clark Kent (Superman) and this is apparently his Kryptonite. Peace.
MinBane 