Social media bullies put on notice as Matiang’i unveils crackdown team
The government on Thursday unveiled National Computer and Cybercrime Coordination Committee (NC4) that will be tasked with consolidating action on the detection, investigation and prosecution of cybercrimes.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said the Secretariat will prioritise the misuse of social media which he described as a major threat to national security and integration.
The CS who officiated the launch of the Secretariat at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development said there will be a sustained crackdown against culprits especially in the run up to the General Election.
"As we approach the general elections, our challenge number one is the misuse and abuse of social media," he said.
The CS said digital communication and transactions were a growing reality of the public and private sectors and urged all arms of the government to invest commensurately in relevant training.
He noted that the adoption of technology had also seen a steady growth in cybercrime and other digital-driven crimes and challenged the players in law and order sectors including the Judiciary to incorporate digital training within its ranks.
He added: "Nations around the world are pumping resources into research on cybersecurity…Our conflicts are going to move to the Judiciary, and the judges must be capacitated enough to help us resolve them."
ICT CS Joe Mucheru said the new law was necessary to support the digital economy and called for its stringent application.
"People have been giving public holidays on social media, kill others online, and even publish content from different countries to mislead citizens. This habit must stop," CS Mucheru stated.
