Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has condemned the government for resorting to threats instead of effective communication to promote its policies.
Speaking on Radio Citizen, Sifuna particularly criticized Mining CS Hassan Joho for targeting Kenyans who question the government’s actions on social media.
Sifuna revealed plans to summon Joho to Parliament to explain his remarks, which he called a violation of citizens’ constitutional right to free speech.
"This government must understand that threats won’t earn public support. As for Joho, we will summon him to clarify why he is intimidating Kenyans online,” Sifuna stated.
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The senator highlighted Joho's December 3, 2024, warning to social media users criticizing the government, which sparked widespread backlash. He urged Kenyans to stand firm and exercise their freedom of expression without fear. “No one in power should threaten citizens for voicing concerns. Dialogue is what will help us move the country forward,” he added.
Sifuna also addressed President William Ruto’s controversial remarks referring to critics as pepo chafe (evil spirits). He linked public discontent to a lack of transparency in key government projects like Affordable Housing, Taifa Care, and the Adani-JKIA deal.
According to Sifuna, Kenyans demand accountability in initiatives that impact their lives.
Sifuna proposed amending the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) laws to improve transparency. He suggested mandating the government publicly disclose details of all privately initiated projects within seven days and implementing a Swiss challenge to invite competitive bids.
The senator emphasized that transparency is critical to gaining public trust, stating, “We cannot rely on whistleblowers to uncover essential information.
