Mzalendo Trust, a Nonpartisan Parliamentary organization has disseminated a report to Machakos residents on the effects of Strategic Legislation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) on media, human rights defenders, and whistleblowers.
SLAPP are lawsuits alleging defamation whereby those in power misuse legal systems to discourage and prevent public criticism of their decisions and activities, and this has brought immense stress, pressure, and financial burden to the activists and the media.
Speaking to the media at a Machakos hotel, Mzalendo Trust Program Assistant Benjamin Mwamburi said the report on effects of SLAPP lawsuits was launched in April.
He said the cases are brought to intimidate, burden, and punish the defendants—the media and human rights defenders—for speaking out against the plaintiffs on matters of public interest.
Mwamburi said they did the report because they realised that the lawsuits are piling up on media personnel, whistleblowers, and human rights defenders who are harassed when speaking out against corruption in the counties, national government, and private organisations.
He added SLAPP effects have limited Public participation and freedom of expression, such that crucial information that involves common mwananchi cannot reach the residents for them to condemn the ills in society.
Mwamburi revealed that the findings of the report are that 65% of respondents said the lawsuits are meant to silence those who exposed vices, while 55% of litigants actions were intended to conceal their abuse of public office. Some 92% of respondents said arrests were unjustified.
He noted that the report recommends some laws should be changed or dropped as they aim to intimidate whistleblowers and human rights defenders.
Another recommendation is developing anti-SLAPP reforms through reviewing existing defamation laws and training journalists and human rights defenders on defamation, data protection, and privacy laws.
By Anne Kangero
