President William Ruto has broken his silence on the controversial Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act (Amendments) 2024, insisting that the piece of legislation was amended for the benefit of all Kenyans.
Speaking on Thursday, October 23, during the burial of Inspector General Douglas Kanja's father, he accused a section of political leaders of attempting to fuel political tensions in the country by spreading false information.
In his speech, the Head of State clarified that the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act was first implemented in 2018 and that it only underwent slight readjustments.
He noted that the Act was crucial in stopping several online challenges affecting the Kenyan youth, particularly on matters revolving around cyberbullying, hate speech and access to explicit content.
"Those who run such businesses of bullying other Kenyans, you now find that a lot of youths are committing suicide because of terrorism that is on the online platforms," Ruto stated.
"There are people who are out to cause tension by all means. This law has been in existence since 2018, and the amendments began in 2024 and it was done by the Members of the National Assembly," he added.
According to the President, the amendments began way back in 2024 and were done by Members of the National Assembly who approved the bill for Presidential assent.
Addressing leaders and residents in Laikipia, the Head of State dismissed allegations of taking advantage of the former Prime Minister's death to sneak in crucial bills into law.
"It is my constitutional duty to sign bills into law, and that day, I had already prepared to sign the bill when I received news about the passing of the former Prime Minister. It was impossible to stop the process," the President reiterated.
His comments come hours after the High Court temporarily suspended the Act, stopping its enforcement, implementation and operation, awaiting the hearing and determination of the matter.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi on Wednesday, October 22, stopped the implementation of the Act following a petition filed by former Presidential candidate Ruben Kigame and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).
In his directive, Justice Mugambi ordered that the application and its accompanying submissions be served physically within three days and a return of service be filed with the court. By Timothy Cerullo, Kenyans.co.ke
