Politics
Matiang’i: Kenya Will Not Shut Down Internet During 2022 Elections
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has dismissed reports the government could shut down social media over hate speech ahead of the 2022 general elections.
Speaking at the Bomas of Kenya during the launch of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission’s (NCIC) 2020-2025 strategic plan, Matiang’i said the security sector will do its part to protect Kenya ahead of the elections.
But he warned those who will attempt to propagate hate speech on social media.
“Kenya’s social media will not be shut down over hate speech. However, we will be very ruthless when it comes to those who interfere with others’ freedoms. We will not hesitate or be intimidated by pressures or complaints from anybody. We will protect Kenya,” he said.
While assuring Kenyans that it won’t happen, the CS said the government will not delay in taking action against any individuals who infringed on other people’s freedoms.
“We will not do things like switching off internet, it will not happen here.. we will not harass people but because we are confident, we will act according to the law and call people to account.
To those who break the law, we will arrange a good meeting between you and the law. Any threats to the vision of Kenya should be met with the full force of law.. ” he added.
Matiang’i said the security agencies will do their part ahead of the elections adding that Kenya is a democratic country, and “our democracy is by choice, not by force”.
“This country is a democracy. We are a democracy by choice and it was not imposed on us,” the CS said.
In February, NCIC mapped out five major towns as possible hotspots for violence during the 2022 election campaigns period.
They are Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret, Mombasa and Nakuru.
The commission said the areas are being monitored closely as the country has reached new low levels of incitement with heightened political activities and rhetoric that point to a possible repeat of the 2007/8 elections violence.
In Nairobi, the team cited the city’s seven slums as recruitment grounds for political activities. They, however, did not release specific areas in other counties by the time of going to press.
In January, the cohesion commission unveiled a plan to curb hate speech and incitement ahead of the BBI referendum and 2022 election campaigns.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission released statistics indicating it has handled 434 hate cases since 2017.
Some 185 of the total cases were reported in 2017 alone – the election year – with 85 reported in 2018, 75 in 2019 and 86 last year.
With the statistics showing most hate utterances are during campaigns, the Commission noted that it has raised its antennae and has already put in place a strategy to tame hate-mongering.
Deputy President William Ruto has vowed to that his government if given the mandate to lead the country in the August 9 polls will deal with hands-on with ‘State capture.’
According to the Presidential candidate, state policies are being used to facilitate the theft of public funds as corruption had been absorbed into government.
DP William Ruto made these calims while speaking to the Reuters in an interview.
“We have no intention of prosecuting President Uhuru Kenyatta, but we have every intention of dealing with State capture. It cannot be business as usual,” the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate said.
DP Ruto’s running mate, Rigathi Gachagua also alluded to said State capture, saying those involved will be dealt with should Kenya Kwanza form the next government.
“We will not go after individuals. We will go after all those in state capture and conflict of interest,” Gachagua said in a joint media broadcast.
The Mathira MP vaguely explained that it was “people in power who have used or are using their offices to use up public resources to their advantage,” when asked who or what State capture was.
The DP has also revealed plans of bringing to end the Kenya’s national debt, which currently stands at Sh9 trillion, in an exclusive interview with international media.
He said the country has the capacity to handle the debt situation, and that they as Kenya Kwanza have mapped out plans of how to go about it, should they win.
“We will put the brakes on more borrowing. It may not come to zero but we will begin the journey to slow down on more borrowing,” the DP said.
Campaigns hit fever pitch and candidates scramble for airtime to sell their agendas with just eighteen (18) days left as Kenya will soon be headed to the General Election.
Sonko has increased the intense in the race for Mombasa county which already has aspirants from the UDA and ODM parties.
Sonko has finally been cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to contest for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat.
On Thursday, July 14 2022, Sonko in the accompany of his supporters was given the green light.
The former Nairobi governor was invited by the IEBC to submit his letter for clearance as per a letter addressed to him earlier.
“The venue will be the IEBC Mombasa County offices and you are expected to submit your papers on July 14, 2022 between 2pm and 4pm,” Swalha Ibrahim the returning officer said.
The letter to Sonko came after a high court ruled that the politician doesn’t be disqualified from vying for governor noting that the governor was eligible to run for office. The commission said it could not head to the courts to appeal the decision as time could not allow.
Addressing the media after the clearance, Sonko said his candidature seeks to solve the problems of the people in the Coastal city and that he was bringing a new awakening in the city.
Sonko said he was not worried about the short time time line he has to undertake the campaigns in the large city noting that he was drawing a campaign schedule to begin immediately.
“We must campaign, we have few days but we will utilize them properly. We can do two days per constituency or a day per constituency,” Sonko noted.
Funding Partnerships and Grants Manager at Northern Rangelands Trust
Legal Counsel at Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF)
