Nairobi — The National Assembly Finance Committee has confirmed that a suspected cyber disruption affected official parliamentary email systems during public submissions on the Finance Bill 2025.

In a detailed statement, the committee revealed that on Saturday, May 31, 2025, the National Assembly's designated email addresses were overwhelmed by a wave of identical spam messages, which significantly affected its system responsiveness.

The emails, sent in large volumes, jammed the system and significantly affected responsiveness, prompting a temporary shutdown of the channels.

"The breach in the established system through interference with the official email addresses caused many emails to be received. These emails jammed the system and necessitated the email addresses to be disabled," the Committee stated.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

The disruption came after a public notice issued on May 13, 2025, invited Kenyans to submit their views on the bill, a critical step in the public participation process according to the constitution.

The Finance Committee has termed the incident a breach of the established communication system, noting that the spam was a deliberate attempt to interfere with digital engagement efforts.

Despite the attack, the committee clarified that it was able to filter out spam and consider genuine submissions from the public, reiterating its commitment to an inclusive and transparent public participation process.

"The Committee notes that misinformation, disinformation, and disruption of electronic communication channels are not avenues of public participation recognized by the Constitution," it added.

The Finance Committee, however, lauded citizens who submitted their views, urging that the exercise is part of their democratic right, crucial for shaping the country's fiscal policy and tax framework.