Civil Society Groups Condemn Disruption of Budget Forum, Vow to Keep Scrutinizing Government Spending

Jukwaa

📻 Breaking It Down

The meeting, held at All Saints Cathedral on Friday, brought together representatives from civil society, faith-based organizations, the private sector, and members of the public to discuss the national budget presented by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi before the National Assembly a day earlier.

According to Transparency International Kenya (TI-Kenya), a group of individuals described as “state-hired goons” stormed the forum while participants were assessing how well the budget addressed citizen concerns.

TI-Kenya said one of the assailants was arrested and allegedly claimed that they had been sent by a government official.

📌 What You Need to Know

The organization also reported that valuables, including a mobile phone, were stolen during the disruption.

“We condemn this act of intimidation and assert that it will not deter us from scrutinizing the budget. We will continue to demand that the interests of the people of Kenya be at the forefront,” the organization said in a statement.

The incident has sparked outrage among rights groups and governance advocates, who warned that the use of violence to disrupt lawful public discussions threatens constitutional freedoms and democratic accountability.

The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA) described the attack as a direct assault on citizens’ right to participate in public affairs and engage in discussions on how public resources are allocated.

“Goons cannot silence the people’s voice,” TISA said. “The use of violence and intimidation to silence public participation is an attack on democracy and the constitutional rights of all Kenyans.”

The organization argued that the incident reflects a troubling trend in which organized groups are allegedly deployed to disrupt civic activities and discourage public engagement on governance issues.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya

0 0