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Kenya: No Internet Shutdowns During Polls – CS Matiang’i

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4 years ago

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The government has pledged it will not shut down the internet during the General Election next year, despite noting a worrying trend of abuse and misuse of social media.

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.