A group of 12 civil society organizations and NGOs has gone after Safaricom PLC for harassment.
In a statement dated Sunday, December 1, the Civic Freedoms Forum (CFF) noted that the telecommunications giant has been harassing journalists, media houses, and human rights groups.
According to the forum, Safaricom is making several attempts to suppress press freedom and public accountability.
CFF alongside other organizations including the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), and Transparency International Kenya, has condemned several actions by Safaricom.
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Arguments made by the 12 NGOs
According to the letter, the harassment began following an exposé done by Nation Media Group which implicated Safaricom in sharing customer location data with the police.
Further, the article indicated that Safaricom by extension was aiding in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings reported in the country.
However, instead of addressing the grave allegations, Safaricom has been accused of retaliating by threatening lawsuits.
The organizations have noted that the telco is also bullying journalists, and suspending advertising contracts with the media group.
“Safaricom threatened to take legal action against the Nation Media Group, the individual journalists who reported the investigation-Namir Shabibi
“And Claire Lauterbach-and the reporters who did a follow-up story Daniel Ogetta, Kepha Muiruri, and Evans Jaolal,” read the letter in part.
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Safaricom Threatening Human Rights Organizations
Concerned by Safaricom’s attacks on the Nation and freedom of the press, KHRC and MUHURI wrote to the company on November 14, urging it to respond to the detailed allegations.
Instead of responding to the allegations of criminality, Safaricom issued a subtle threat to KHRC and MUHURI on November 18.
It ordered them to stop making public statements or actions on this issue and demanded that they remove the letter from all its social media pages.
Consequently, CFF has demanded that Safaricom respond transparently to the allegations, apologize to journalists, and allow an independent investigation into its conduct.
They have also called upon Safaricom’s parent company, Vodafone Group, to intervene.
“The fact that Safaricom attempts to cast itself as the victim in this matter is as manipulative as it is absurd.
“It is the Kenyan people who are victims, and urgently deserve answers to the allegations in the Nation’s investigation,” added the letter.
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