National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah and Minority Leader Junet Mohamed on Friday, 27 December, called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to arrest individuals who abuse online platforms, including those who circulate doctored images of leaders in coffins.
The two lawmakers criticised the recent trend of depicting public figures in what they described as derogatory ways, including placing images of leaders in coffins.
Mr Ichung'wah said such individuals should face the full force of the law and be charged under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018.
“Arrest them and make it public that you have arrested them and take them before courts of laws so that it becomes a deterrent to those who are misusing computers, artificial intelligence not only to insult the intelligence of the people, but also to do uncouth things, very uncivilised things,” he said.
Mr Ichung'wah stressed the importance of implementing the provisions of the controversial law, which was upheld by the courts in 2019 after initial challenges.
“The law is in place, and all the DCI and police need to do is enforce it. This will put an end to the impunity of people insulting each other left, right, and centre. Even if you don’t respect me as a leader, respect my family and where leaders come from. Leaders, whether in politics or churches, deserve respect,” the Kikuyu MP said.
“I want to tell Kenyans: don’t put me in a coffin when my time has not yet come… That is really bad manners. Only God knows when the time is right for (for someone to die),” the Suna East MP said.
Mr Mohamed expressed dismay at the misuse of digital platforms to spread what he said were increasing cases of falsehood and to incite public sentiments.
“You allow your child to put someone in a coffin, and when action is taken, you cry. Why didn’t you talk to them in the first place and ask them to stop putting people in coffins? If there are people saying they have been kidnapped, let them go to court according to the law. But this behaviour of abusing others through the internet is a sad state,” he asked.
Mr Mohamed, like Mr Ichung'wah, urged Kenyans to exercise their freedom of speech responsibly, stressing the need to operate within the law.
“There is freedom of speech. Everyone needs to operate within the law. In 2018, we passed the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, and I am saying that if someone has done something wrong, they should be taken to the courts of law,” he said.
Mr Ichung’wah urged the police to arrest anyone who “falsely claims they have been kidnapped only to turn up later.”
"If anyone makes such claims for political expediency, they should be arrested and charged.
“If a family claims their loved one has been hijacked, they should report it to the authorities to ensure culprits are brought to book. Let’s not misuse the term ‘kidnapped’ for political gain."
