Kenyans help anti-IMF loan crusader Mutemi Kiama to pay his hefty bill
Kenyans on Thursday raised almost a quarter of a million shillings in a few hours towards anti-IMF loan crusader Mutemi Kiama’s hefty cash bail.
The activist was granted Sh500,000 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 that.
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.
Read: Released activist Mutemi Kiama appeals for help to pay Sh500k bail
“Thank you Kenyans. We have received Sh235,390 towards Mutemi’s cash bail as at 6.30pm 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 against issuing further loans to Kenya, more directly to President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.
While releasing him, the court ordered the activist not to use his social media accounts and to report to the investigating officer daily until the case was is mentioned on April 20.
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 him.