CS Matiang’i: No internet shutdowns during polls

While promising to deal sternly with abusers of social media platforms during campaigns and elections, Interior Cabinet Fred Matiang’i said Kenya is a mature and “strong democracy” and a pacesetter in the region and cannot stoop that low.

CS Matiang’i was speaking at the launch of the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NCCCC) in Nairobi yesterday.

“We’re facing an election that is going to demonstrate even our greater maturity. We’re going to be fine. We’re not going to resort to other tactics such as (shutting down) the internet. That one we left a long time ago. Our reputation the world over is that we’re a strong democracy,” CS Matiang’i said.

He warned about the danger of misusing social media to peddle unfounded claims as the country heads to the polls, calling for a responsible use of the platforms and promising to bring the “digital terrorists” to book.

“Our number one challenge in Kenya is the misuse and abuse of social media. That’s what we’re going to deal with,” CS Matiang’i said. 

“I mean, you have seen the madness around. Governments, because they are not as strong, confident and democratic as ours, resort to shutting down the internet…Kenya is not going to do that.”

The launch of NCCCC, the CS said, fills a gap that had for long impeded the process of cleansing the digital sphere.

The committee will provide the strategic direction, coordination and management in the crackdown on cybercrimes in Kenya by implementing and enforcing the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.

The Act provides for offences relating to computer systems such as unauthorised access, cyber espionage, cyber harassment, cybersquatting, false publication of data, identity theft and impersonation, child pornography, phishing, computer fraud, computer forgery, unauthorised disclosure of passcodes, fraudulent use of electronic data, issuance of false e-instructions and cyber terrorism.

“The complexities of cybercrime begin from the very basic ones of someone forging a document and declaring tomorrow is a holiday to the complex ones of breaking into systems and coded frameworks and so on and so forth,” he said. 

“While I make these assurances, it is important for us to understand that a time has now come that we’re going to do our work the way it should be done.”

Kenya’s journey to policy debate on protecting computer and information systems dates back to 2009. And with cyberspace and security gaining prominence over time, the government is in a race to cleanse the space that could be the source of political turmoil next year.