Activist thanks Kenyans for bailing him out
Activist Mutema Kiama has thanked Kenyans for supporting him when he was in police custody.
And he has promised to continue fighting for Kenyans right and warned he would not be intimidated by the government.
“I am back,” he wrote on Twitter on Friday.
“Thank you Kenyans on Twitter for the solidarity and hashtags #ReleaseMutemi & #ReleaseKiama. Kenyans shall not relent! Kenyans won’t be gagged! Spread the word! Thanks for bailing me out together with activists arrested yesterday. #UnlockOurCountry #StopLoaningKenya.”
Kenyans on Thursday raised about Sh250,000 so as to help the anti-International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans crusader pay his cash bail of Sh500,000
The activist had been granted cash bail by a Nairobi court after it declined a request by the prosecutor to remand him for 14 days saying there are no compelling reasons to warrant his detention.
Taking to social media, a group calling itself Defenders Coalition called on Kenyans to chip in towards raising the money, and chip in they did.
“Thank you Kenyans. We have received Sh235,390 towards Mutemi’s cash bail as at 6.30 pm this evening (Thursday). Defenders Coalition has facilitated the processing and release of Mutemi WaKiama. Thank you Kenyans, staff, legal team. The price of freedom of speech and expression is not Sh500,000. We must do more to protect these freedoms,” they said.
Kiama was arrested over two posters warning the International Monetary Fund (IMF) against issuing further loans to Kenya, more directly to President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.
The court also ordered the activist not to use his social media accounts and to report to the investigating officer daily as the case was set for mention on April 20, 2021.
Kiama is accused of contravening various provisions of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act, including false publication.
Police said preliminary investigations had shown that two Twitter handles which made the publication of the poster are linked to Mr Kiama.
The publication was to the effect that “this is to notify the world at large that the person whose photograph and names appear above is not authorised to act or transact on behalf of the citizens of the Republic of Kenya and that the nation and future generations shall not be held liable for any penalties of bad loans negotiated and/or borrowed by him”.