Ruto, spy chiefs say fake news is a ‘threat to national security’

President William Ruto has warned that fake news is now a growing threat to national security, coming after spy chief Noordin Haji said digital platforms are increasingly being used to fuel unrest across the continent.

Speaking Thursday night at the Second Mashariki Cooperation Conference in Naivasha, he said misinformation and disinformation—amplified by expanding internet connectivity—has become a major security threat.

“False narratives, fabricated claims and cynical distortions corrode truth, distort public discourse, and erode democratic institutions. When weaponised, social media platforms become breeding grounds for hate, incitement, radicalisation and insecurity,” he said at the forum that brings together intelligence and security service officials from across Africa and the world.

To counter this, the Head of State said Kenya is deploying a strategy that balances safeguarding freedom of expression with the need for accurate information and digital literacy. 

“We are responding with robust measures: upholding freedom of expression, promoting access to accurate information, expanding digital literacy, and institutionalising transparency in public communication,” he said, but was not specific about what this would entail.

Beyond digital threats, he noted that the rest of the world is also grappling with a tangled web of traditional and emerging security risks. He cited geopolitical tensions, pandemics and climate-related disasters as evidence that modern threats are evolving.

“The growing array of transnational risks demand bold, coordinated, intelligence-driven solutions...We must reinforce our cooperation in intelligence the bedrock of national, regional and international peace,” he said.

Haji warning

President Ruto's remarks echo that of National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director-General Noordin Haji, who recently warned that digital platforms are increasingly being used to mislead the public and fuel unrest.

“This has resulted in the worrying emergence of coordinated misinformation and disinformation aimed at misleading citizens, leading them to make poor decisions or fostering misguided perceptions of their governments,” he said.

Mr Haji and President Ruto's comments also come after last year’s wave of youth-led protests against the controversial Finance Bill, 2023.

The demonstrations were largely planned and organised on social media platforms.