CS Mucheru: Internet won’t be shut during August polls

dennis kibet

January 23, 2017 5:35 PM

Information and Communications Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru has dismissed earlier reports of such plan, and maintained that the internet is a critical resource for the country which cannot be interfered with at any given time.

“There is no government policy or even intention of shutting down the internet during the elections. We actually have not had a meeting in government where we have discussed (whether) to shut it down or not…it’s not an agenda that has come up, so I don’t think any Kenyan should have fears about that,” said Mucheru.

Lockdown claims

Earlier, sections of the media had reported that the internet will be disconnected during the election period as was the case during the February general last year in Uganda. The move sparked outrage across the globe, many activists calling it a major violation of rights.

Kenya is, however, formulating key laws under the computer and cyber crime to curb internet bullying and cyber crime, especially the spread of hate speech. Already the bill is in parliament which is seeking to enhance penalties for offences related to online hate speech and incitement—some of which attracts up to a 20-year jail sentence or a fine of Sh20 million.

“We have trained the law enforcement agencies and prosecution agencies, providing all the information required to deal with the small incidences that we get where there is misuse of services. We have set up the Kenya Internet and Computer Incident and Response Team who have been looking into cyber security,” said the CS.

Mucheru was speaking at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Capacity Building Workshop in Nairobi, where delegates from different countries in Africa are discussing how to leverage on the internet and convergence.

There have been fears that the government may opt to shut down the internet especially the social media bloggers

dennis kibet