Implement law to tame those using social media to throw insults - Ichung'wah tells DCI

Speaking on Friday, the legislator noted that security officers should use the guidelines of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act of 2018 to nab those making slurs against leaders through social media.

He therefore called upon the DCI to not shy from arresting those who have violated the Act to tame character assassination in the nation.

"If there's anybody who has violated the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act, arrest them, make it public, and take them before the courts of law so that it becomes a deterrent to those misusing computers, AI not only to insult but also to do very uncivilized things," he noted.

"You must make use of the laws that we created and enacted in Parliament in 2018 especially the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act. Implement that law to end this shenanigans of people insulting each other with impunity and imagining nothing can happen to them." 

He also urged the Kenyan youth to desist from taking advantage of social media tools to insult leaders, urging them to practice restraint and show restraint.

"To the youth, have respect. Even if you do not respect me as a leader then respect the families of those leaders. You might not like Speaker Wetangula but remember he has a parent," he added.

Speaking at the same event, Minority leader Junet Mohamed noted that young people are taking advantage of the unchecked confines of freedom of speech in Kenya and are now going to extremes.

"There is freedom of speech but if someone makes an offense they be taken to court as per that law (Cybercrimes Act)," noted Junet. 

He referenced the recently surfaced AI-generated images of President William Ruto showing him lying in a coffin as social media users express their distaste for his government.

"Don't put me in a coffin before my time reaches. You put the President of Kenya in a coffin and then you put him on X and Facebook. Only God will know when I will be laid in a coffin," said Junet. 

"This behavior of Kenyans using social media to insult others is worrying. Let us be good examples to our young ones."

Their sentiments lie on the backdrop of rising cases of abductions in the nation as the National Police Service, despite linking evidence, said that they are not aware of the incidents and are not linked to the cases.

Leaders among them Prime Minister Raila Odinga, NARC-Kenya party leader Martha Karua, and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua have condemned the abductions, calling for an expeditious probe into finding the missing persons.

Seven online users have reportedly been kidnapped in December among them Steve Kavingo Mbisi, Billy Wanyiri Mwangi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Rony Kiplang’at and Gideon Kibet alias Kibet Bull.

This has sparked public uproar as Kenyans question the national security's integrity, calling for accountability from the state.