East Africa

Details: East Africa; 07 April 2025; 205

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Charles Kahariri during the ground breaking ceremony of the KDF Modern Housing unit at 3KR Military barracks in Lanet Nakuru county on May 18, 2024. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Rarely do security chiefs step forward to explain themselves to the public or trigger national debates. But at a recent event at the National Intelligence Research University (NIRU), National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Charles Kahariri did just that.

Also present were Attorney General Dorcas Oduor, Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo, former Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, and USIU Vice-Chancellor Mwenda Ntarangwi. NIRU Vice-Chancellor James Kibon ensured diversity among attendees, bringing together media professionals, university academics, think tanks, youth activists, jua kali operators, government officials, and members of the business community.

The two security chiefs appeared relaxed, sharing personal anecdotes and even linguistic challenges they had encountered. Haji, in explaining his own pronunciation issues, joked that he grew up in Nyahururu, “where people believed English arrived in Kenya on a sailing ship.” Kahariri, though born in Nyeri, said his language quirks likely stemmed from having spent most of his life at the Coast or at sea.

Having previously served as commandant at the National Defence College (NDC) in Karen before his promotion to Vice-CDF and then CDF, Kahariri described NIRU as an “academic grandchild” of the NDC and expressed personal pride in its establishment.

Despite the light-hearted tone, both speakers delved into serious matters, successfully achieving their objective of sparking conversations around national security.

Haji delivered what could be considered an inaugural lecture, outlining the critical role of the intelligence service in safeguarding Kenya’s national interests. He highlighted numerous threats the NIS had helped diffuse and warned of the dangers of unintentionally weakening state institutions.

Kahariri, on his part, addressed current security challenges, including threats from neighbouring countries where some citizens harbour irredentist sentiments. He emphasised the need for the military to remain apolitical and uphold the Constitution, even while serving the government of the day. Referencing the popular “must go” chant, Kahariri questioned the logic behind it, noting that the same public had voted in the government in question.

The phrase “must go” traces back to 1992, when Kenneth Matiba first declared “Moi Must Go.” It has since evolved into a recurring political slogan, now directed at President William Ruto. Kahariri’s comments drew the most attention, particularly in light of remarks made by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who had claimed the general was siding with Ruto to suppress the Gen Z movement and avert a military coup.

Reiterating the military’s professionalism, Kahariri dismissed the idea of any unconstitutional involvement. Raila’s claims appeared to have unsettled the armed forces to the extent that Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya publicly rebutted them.

Kahariri was keen to stress the military’s neutrality and to caution against political chants that could incite unconstitutional actions. However, despite his likely good intentions, his “must go” remarks sparked widespread public discourse. Debarl Inea, the journalist who moderated the NIRU event, later hosted a follow-up discussion on his new Sunday evening X Cyber Space platform, attracting around 400 participants from East Africa, the UK, and the US—including several politicians.

In other forums, political figures accused Kahariri of attempting to suppress free speech. While recently impeached former Deputy President and Ruto critic Rigathi Gachagua advised him to “stay in the barracks,” Ruto’s close ally Kimani Ichung’wah defended the general’s right to express his views.

Ultimately, Haji and Kahariri succeeded in their mission at NIRU: they stimulated a broader conversation on the concept of security, demystified the roles of the country’s top security agencies, and temporarily shifted public attention from socio-economic concerns—while also giving the political class something new to debate. By Macharia Munene, The Standard

Details: East Africa; 04 April 2025; 271

Kigali: The Sultanate of Oman took part in the Global AI Summit on Africa 2025, held in Kigali, Republic of Rwanda, under the theme of "AI and Africa's Demographic Dividend: Reimagining Economic Opportunities for Africa's Workforce".

The two-day event, which kicked off today, was aimed to discuss the latest developments, innovations and technologies in the field of artificial intelligence and exchange knowledge and expertise with other countries. It offered an opportunity to showcase investment opportunities in the Sultanate of Oman in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and enhance cooperation with international companies.

The Sultanate of Oman's delegation to the summit was led by Dr. Ali Amer Al Shidhani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology. The delegation included ministry officials and representatives of Omani technology companies like ITCHA Group, Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) and Oman Data Park.

The summit brought together more than 1,000 participants from 95 countries, including policymakers, entrepreneurs, researchers and investors and representatives of more than 100 AI companies. The overall objective was to accelerate AI innovation and align strategic policies in a manner that enhances Africa's AI capabilities and achieve competitiveness and inclusive growth.

The summit saw the launch of the Africa AI Council, which will lead the development of the continent's AI ambitions. It also included panel discussions and workshops and showcased the products of more than 100 promising AI companies in Africa. The summit also featured discussions on how to harness AI with the purpose of encouraging innovation and boosting the skills of Africa's workforce.

On the sidelines of the summit, Al Shidhani conferred with Paula Ingabire, Minister of Communications, Information Technology and Innovation of Rwanda. The meeting discussed ways of expanding cooperation between the two sides in the field of ICT and explored Rwanda's experience in digital transition. By: ONA, Times of Oman

Details: East Africa; 04 April 2025; 250

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka during the unveiling of DNA party (formerly Umoja Summit party). (Collins Oduor, Standard)

Opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka has revealed plans to form a grand coalition aimed at unseating President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election.

Kalonzo said Kenyans are frustrated with the Kenya Kwanza regime, which he accused of failing to deliver justice and subjecting citizens to economic hardship.

“The new alliance, the People’s Coalition, will welcome as many political organisations as possible so that we can develop that space,” said Kalonzo.

He added: “But I want to propose that we be guided at the appropriate time. The 2002 moment, when Mwai Kibaki was elected unanimously as Kenya’s third President, was a liberation movement. This is another such moment.”

Kalonzo claimed that regions across Kenya, including the Western region, are yearning for change, redemption, and liberation, declaring that “Kenya will never be led by thieves again.”

“Are you ready? This is the moment. Seize it and take action. Your voice, your action,” he said, drawing applause from the crowd.

Kalonzo was speaking yesterday during the Umoja Summit Party’s Annual Delegates Convention (ADC) in Parklands, Nairobi.

Among other resolutions, the ADC approved the party’s name change to the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) and confirmed its acting leaders. The party leader is Godfrey Kanoti, with Walter Mong’are as deputy party leader. Barack Muluka serves as the national chairman, while Naomi Cidi is the secretary-general and also the deputy secretary-general.

Kalonzo declared that the Azimio coalition no longer exists, stating that it effectively collapsed when the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) joined the government and donated its members to Ruto’s administration.

He accused Ruto of presiding over a corrupt government, alleging that public funds are being used to bribe people through donations.

Kalonzo also criticised the regime for denying Kenyans justice after last year’s Gen Z protests and urged the public to take action.

He called on the Kenya Kwanza government to refund the KSh300 that young people were charged for national identity cards before the fee was recently scrapped. By James Wanzala, The Standard

Details: East Africa; 04 April 2025; 224

Abrham Meareg’s father was followed home and killed after his home address was published on Facebook in 2021.Photograph: Foxglove

Meta faces a $2.4bn (£1.8bn) lawsuit accusing the Facebook owner of inflaming violence in Ethiopia after the Kenyan high court said a legal case against the US tech group could go ahead.

The case brought by two Ethiopian nationals calls on Facebook to alter its algorithm to stop promoting hateful material and incitement to violence, as well as hiring more content moderators in Africa. It is also seeking a $2.4bn “restitution fund” for victims of hate and violence incited on Facebook.

One of the claimants is the son of Prof Meareg Amare Abrha, who was murdered at his home in Ethiopia after his address and threatening posts were published on Facebook in 2021 during a civil war in the country. Another claimant is Fisseha Tekle, a former researcher at Amnesty International who published reports on violence committed during the conflict in Tigray in northern Ethiopia and received death threats on Facebook.

Meta has argued that courts in Kenya, where Facebook’s Ethiopia moderators were based at the time, did not have jurisdiction over the case. The Kenyan high court in Nairobi ruled on Thursday that the case fell within the jurisdiction of the country’s courts.

Abrham Meareg, the son of Meareg, said: “I am grateful for the court’s decision today. It is disgraceful that Meta would argue that they should not be subject to the rule of law in Kenya. African lives matter.”

Tekle said he cannot return home to Ethiopia because of Meta’s failure to make Facebook safe. “Meta cannot undo the damage it has done, but it can radically change how it moderates dangerous content across all its platforms to make sure no one else has to go through what I have,” he said. “I look forward to this matter now being heard by the court in full.”

The case, supported by non-profit organisations including Foxglove and Amnesty International, also demands a formal apology from Meta for the murder of Meareg. The Katiba Institute, a Kenya-based NGO focusing on the Kenyan constitution, is the third claimant in the case.

In 2022 an analysis by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and the Observer found that Facebook was letting users post content inciting violence through hate and misinformation, despite being aware that it was fuelling tensions in Tigray.

Meta rejected the claims at the time, saying it had “invested in safety and security measures” to tackle hate and inflammatory language along with “aggressive steps to stop the spread of misinformation” in Ethiopia.

In January the company said it was removing factcheckers and “dramatically” reducing the amount of censorship on the platform, although it would continue to tackle illegal and high severity violations. Meta said it did not comment on ongoing legal matters. By Dan Milmo Global technology editor, Guardian

Details: East Africa; 04 April 2025; 295

NIS DG Noordin Haji during the inaugural public lecture at the National Intelligence & Research University on Kenya’s evolving security landscape challenges and opportunities, March 28, 2025.

National Inteligence Service (NIS) Director General, Noordin Haji, has again cautioned members of the public against misusing social media platforms, terming it a huge threat to national and regional security.

Speaking during the Mashariki Cooperation Conference in Naivasha, Nakuru County on Thursday, April 3, Haji noted that the rise of social media misuse could distabilise the country and plunge it into unrest.

Addressing a security delegation, the NIS boss maintained that the misuse of social media remained a huge threat to national security, as most people used the platform to fuel misinformation and incite violence.

He reiterated that while free speech remained a cornerstone of democracy, there needed to be a balance between free speech and national security.

Francis Gaitho

“Across the continent, we have seen a considerable increase in the use of social media platforms for advocacy and mobilization for civil actions. However, this has led to the emergence of coordinated and sustained misinformation and disinformation,” Haji stated.

“The misinformation and disinformation are aimed at misguiding citizens, leading them to make poor decisions and shaping their perceptions of their governments,” he added.

The two-day meeting, attended by high-profile security officials from across the continent, focused on emerging security threats and sought to improve collaboration between African nations in intelligence sharing and response strategies.

His sentiments were echoed by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who cautioned the youth against the misuse of social media to spread hate and inflammatory narratives, reiterating that such vices posed a threat to national unity.

"Issues of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence to spread disinformation, spread inflammatory rhetoric, and perpetuate technology-related threats such as cyber fraud are of great concern to us," Murkomen said.

Meanwhile, Haji’s latest statement comes barely a week after he raised similar concerns about the escalating misuse of digital platforms to incite violence in the country.

Speaking at the National Intelligence Research conference at the University of Nairobi on March 28, Haji likened the spread of false information to the nationwide anti-government protests witnessed in June last year.

"The recent developments, particularly the Gen Z protests, demonstrated the destabilizing effect of digital activism, which tested our political, economic, and security resilience," Haji stated. By Timothy Cerullo, Kenyans.co.ke