Friday, December 11, 2020 – Former Chief Justice, Dr. Willy Mutunga, has blasted President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for seeking to infringe on the people’s freedoms that are guaranteed in the Constitution.
This follows a contentious bill that seeks to impose fines for failing to disclose WhatsApp chats and SMSs which the Government deems suspicious.
Speaking during an interview, Mutunga stated that the Statute Law Miscellaneous Amendment Bill 2020 in Parliament is evidence of the Government’s dictatorial tendencies.
He added that the bill was an attempt by the leadership of the Jubilee Party and the Opposition to consolidate power.
“We can point out many provisions in the Constitution that it would violate.”
“I am sure the legislation will be struck down by the High Court in due course,” Mutunga stated.
He referenced the Official Secrets Act of 1968, which was used to undermine the people’s struggle by the government.
“In 1968, the Jomo-Kanu dictatorship was facing fierce opposition from the Kenya People’s Union (KPU), which was banned the following year.”
“The Act is about keeping the bureaucracy loyal to the Government,” he added.
The Bill has sparked uproar from various sectors after it emerged that a Ksh1 Million fine will be charged to those who fail to avail any information on their communication platforms on demand.
It is purported to help the government unravel complex webs of terrorism, money laundering and cybercrime.
Besides the mandatory disclosure of information, the proposal also seeks to update communication laws that were passed more than 50 years ago to suit the new trends and technology.
E! News Blog
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