Civil society Organization “CLARION” Website hacked

Press release by CLARION

HACKING OF CLARION’S WEBSITE AND THE CONTINUED INTIMIDATION AND HARASSMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY.

Early yesterday (Thursday 9th that our website has been hacked into. We took time to confirm with our service provider that this was indeed the case.

We take this to be part and parcel of the continued intimidation of civil society organisations and other independent voices in the current political dispensation. These are the cowardly acts of materially powerful but intellectually inept individuals who have refused to accept that Kenya is no longer a dictatorship.

The intimidation of civil society organisations and individual Kenyans reached its peak last year (2013). It is believed that one of the reasons the current regime is intent on bullying civil society into submission is because of the International Criminal Court (ICC) trials.

The common narrative has been that it is civil society organisations that “took” the suspects to the Hague- based Court. That this narrative is patently false has been proved time after time by functionaries of the regime itself. Regime elements from the Rift Valley, for instance, have in the past few months highlighted the role played by public officials in the then Kibaki administration in “framing” the champion of their interests, Deputy President William Samoei Ruto.

The undersigned, who is the Executive Director of CLARION and President of the National Civil Society Congress (NCSC), has continued to experience a lot of intimidation. After being mentioned as one of those receiving money from foreign sources to bring down the government (essentially treason) early in the year (Jackal news, an online publication believed to be sponsored by State House (See http://www.thejackalnews.com/politics/world-exclusive- americans-europe-funding-anti-kenya-government-revolution), he has continued to be intimidated through anonymous calls and messages.

Towards the end of last year (2013) when civil society was planning protests over the then controversial and punitive amendments to the Public Benefits Organisations Act, he was followed at least twice by two individuals. On both occasions the message delivered was that the streets (of Nairobi) were “becoming too dangerous for (activists) like him”. The first time was during the planning phase of the protest while the second time was on the day of the protest.

Indeed, a former civil society colleague now working with the “presidency”, Peter Kariuki, attended a meeting of the Civil Society Reference Group on the PBO Act and attempted to persuade the participants against holding protests. Kariuki revealed that he was one of those advising the administration on the PBO amendments.

It is clear that Mr. Kariuki’s brief was not only to “persuade” civil society not to hold street protests but indeed to identify those who were advocating for this line of action so as to intensify intimidation against them.

Mr. Kariuki, who is obviously enjoying a great time with admirably close proximity to power, worked in civil society for many years with the Basic Rights Campaign. A believer in both civil/political and social/economic rights before seeing the light, he appears today to be in good company among ideologically empty political elite only bent on looting state coffers.

It is important to point out that the legitimacy of the Jubilee administration can only be secured by delivering on the promise of a better governed, inclusive, transparent and accountable Kenya.

Such legitimacy shall not be secured through intimidation. The Constitution of Kenya provides the best blue print for the regime. Ensuring that it is implemented both in letter and spirit will go a long way to convince regime sceptics that those in power today are the right people to govern.

What is happening right now is not exactly endearing the people to the administration. The continuously rising cost of living especially after legislation of the VAT Act is pushing more Kenyans into poverty, frustration and hopelessness.

Promises of free laptops for primary school students fail to excite the population. Parents are having a rough time ensuring their children are in school in these financially challenging times.

Take into account that more than 40% of the population lives below the poverty line and you have a clearer picture.

Insecurity around the country is making it difficult for Kenyans to systematically pursue their socio-economic activities in a peaceful environment, thus undermining their efforts. The youth want jobs, not promises!

If Kenyan’s are to revolt against the administration it will not be because they were told to do so by the civil society; it will be because they are “running on empty”. In spite of the charged rhetoric and political posturing, they feel their dreams of a better Kenya are being dashed, yet again!

For CLARION this is history repeating itself. Moi’s authoritarian administration deregistered the organisation in 1995, after it carried out the first-ever study on official corruption. These Hitlerite-Gestapo tactics have fully come back to haunt Kenyans. As CLARION, we shall continue with the struggle for a better governed, inclusive, transparent and accountable Kenya.

Morris Odhiambo

Executive Director, CLARION (+254-722 303 349)

Editorial: There has been several attempts to hack into the communication forums of a number of people perceived to be critical to the government. Most members in our team of bloggers and editors have been part of this hacking attempts. This is worrying considering free low of information is a basic tenet of any society that believes in democracy. Kenya Today urges all Kenyan engaged in fighting corruption and pointing at government excesses to take extra caution.