In a wave of public opposition to Kenya’s Finance Bill, citizens have gone to great lengths to influence their Members of Parliament (MPs), including acquiring and bombarding their phone numbers with messages urging them to reject the bill.
Among the MPs targeted is Suba North lawmaker Millie Odhiambo, who shared her experiences of the unconventional and sometimes inappropriate messages she received.
Odhiambo revealed that while many Kenyans sent her earnest pleas to vote against the Finance Bill, some messages were markedly different.
One young man, for example, tried to seduce her, claiming to have “inches” and addressing her with terms of endearment like “baby.”
His attempt to suggest he was “good in bed” starkly contrasted with the more typical political lobbying she encountered.
“Many Kenyans are deeply concerned about the Finance Bill,” Odhiambo said.
“On the first day our numbers were given out, I received thousands of messages from all over Kenya. It has now reduced to at least two messages per minute and frequent calls. Most are asking us not to pass the Bill, but many are also looking for jobs, asking for money for food, medical assistance, fees, etc.
“Then there are the odd ones abusing and commanding us and the special ones with: ‘hey; hae; hello baby; I am young but with inches.’ Kuweni serious the last group!”
The mass messaging campaign highlights the intensity of public sentiment surrounding the Finance Bill and the lengths to which citizens will go to make their voices heard.
However, it also underscores the challenges MPs face in filtering through the myriad of communications to address legitimate concerns while ignoring inappropriate distractions.
As the debate over the Finance Bill continues, the public’s innovative—and sometimes controversial—approaches to advocacy reflect a broader desire for greater engagement and responsiveness from their elected representatives.
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