The freedom of the media in Kenya is increasingly under pressure. This was clearly shown in mass protests in the past environment. When the mood on the Kenyan roads collapsed around noon and increasingly gave violent clashes between the Z generation and the police forces, the Kenya communication department smoothly ordered all the radio and television channels in the country to stop living broadcasts.
Most media dooms were sent to reporters, operators and photographers on the streets. Many journalists and media specialists sympathize with the requirements of generation Z, some are even part of the movement.
And it so happened that many of the country’s private media refused to follow the order. In some places, police units stormed local radio stations to remove them from the network. Ultimately, the government turned off television formations and radio frequencies throughout the country.
But this continued to heat the wrath of the crowd. And the last, but no less important: the Z Generation also took to the streets to fight for their rights to freedom of the media and the freedom of expressing opinions guaranteed by the Constitution.
Cybercrime division hunts online activists
The reason for the protest campaign last week was the first anniversary of protests in June 2024. At that time, thousands of thousands walked along the streets to demonstrate taxes against the planned collection. On the other hand, security forces were violent, more than 50 protesters were killed. These 50 killed should be considered by funeral marches last week.
During the year, Kenya creates the so-called branch of cybercrime police hunting online activists, bloggers, influential people and IT specialists who fed protests, also through artificial intelligence. More than 50 bloggers, these are specialists and programmers arrested.
The State Prosecutor investigates them on the basis of the law on abuse of computer and cybercrime, which was introduced in 2018. It also includes the use of false personalities online and insulting official owners on social networks.
The developer of the Rose Nieri Rose was arrested in early June. In the protests of 2024, she published a link to the website, on which financial law was explained. Many online activists disappeared without traces last year, and some were even killed.
The latest example: 31-year-old blogger Albert Omondi Oyvang. He was arrested in June, because he criticized the Vice-Torgians Eliuda Lagata online. In his prison cell, he was beaten to death at the direction of the head of the deputy police.
The Internet was once a free space for the youth of Africa. Kenya was a pioneer in him, so it was also called “Silicone Savannah.” But this freedom is over, says Odang Maddle. The Kenyan Technical Journalist explores the role of AI in protests in Africa. “The silicone dictator also came with Silicon Savannah,” Maddle said. “Today’s authoritarian systems use the same technology that many people have so far used to free themselves.”
