Wajir East MP Aden Daud Defends Cybercrime Amendments Amid Fears of Online Censorship.

Nairobi, Kenya.

Wajir East Member of Parliament Aden Daud Mohamed has defended the newly enacted Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, saying it aims to curb online criminality rather than restrict free expression.

The law, which Daud sponsored as a private member’s bill, has sparked fierce debate since President William Ruto signed it on October 15, 2025, with critics warning it could hand sweeping powers to authorities to block websites and broaden the scope of cyber harassment.

Speaking at a digital content creators’ roundtable at Panari Hotel, Nairobi, on October 29, Daudi maintained that the amendments target genuine threats to Kenya’s digital space.

“This law is about shutting down channels that promote violent extremism, exploit children online, encourage cultism, or facilitate unlawful activity — not silencing citizens,” he said, responding to questions from bloggers, influencers, and tech entrepreneurs.

He noted that the original 2018 Cybercrimes Act had loopholes that needed fixing, some of which had been upheld as constitutional after earlier court challenges.

The amendments, passed by Parliament on October 8, 2025, after public consultations advertised on February 18, give the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NC4) power to order internet service providers to block websites or applications promoting illegal activities, terrorism, or child exploitation.

They also expand Section 27 on cyber harassment to include digital interactions likely to incite violence, property damage, or self-harm — maintaining penalties of up to Sh20 million in fines or 10 years in prison.

Daudi said the changes were necessary to counter emerging threats such as AI-driven scams, SIM-swap fraud, and online radicalization, citing the 2023 Shakahola massacre as an example of how cultic activity can thrive unchecked online.

“We had no explicit legal bar against child pornography or cultic propaganda like Shakahola. These amendments close that gap,” he told reporters on October 26, 2025.

Several leaders have backed Daudi’s stance. Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie, who co-authored the 2018 Act, said the reforms protect minors from predatory content and strengthen Kenya’s digital defenses.

Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah described the law as “a safeguard for families harmed by unregulated online spaces,” citing past cyberbullying tragedies, including that of Fidel Odinga.

“This amendment protects Kenyan families. The opposition to it is largely based on misinformation,” he said during a church service on October 26.

President Ruto, in a public address on October 23, called the law part of a broader digital governance effort to shield youth from psychological harm, terrorism recruitment, and pornography.

“It’s good for Kenya,” he said, rejecting claims that the Act marks a rollback of freedoms.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula similarly argued that the law protects children from radicalization and cyberbullying “without gagging free speech.”

The law is already facing legal scrutiny. On October 22, the High Court suspended the expanded cyber harassment clause following a petition by musician Reuben Kigame and the Kenya Human Rights Commission, who argue it infringes on constitutional freedoms and could be weaponized against critics.

Cybersecurity expert Allan Lwala said the amendments align Kenya’s framework with global norms but warned of “potential overreach if not accompanied by judicial oversight.”

Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo, citing his ministry’s data, said Kenya faces over two million cyberattacks daily, and the law provides clearer prosecutorial tools to tackle such threats.

A People Daily poll on October 27 showed divided opinions: while many respondents in Rift Valley and Central Kenya welcomed stronger protections for businesses and banks, urban voices in Nairobi feared expanded surveillance and censorship.

With internet penetration approaching 50 million users, Daudi urged Kenyans to engage constructively in the debate.

“We have this peculiar habit of opposing everything without cause. Let’s have informed discourse, not blind rejection,” he remarked.

As the judiciary prepares to hear the constitutional challenge, the controversy underscores Kenya’s broader struggle to balance digital security and democratic liberty in an increasingly connected society.