‘Digital War’ Erupts as Kenya’s Government Battles to Respond to Flood of Emails Protesting Dutch Royal Visit

According to Kenya’s Foreign Office, recent cyber activities targeting the government have evolved from genuine public protests to coordinated disinformation efforts, which include the use of AI-generated deepfakes and fabricated narratives.

One of the digital actions highlighted by the Ministry is the mass email campaigns, some of which urge the Dutch royal family to cancel their Kenyan state visit, as part of the attempts to delegitimize state efforts.

In response to these online campaigns, Kenya’s Foreign Ministry has introduced a Technology Responsibility Charter, which emphasizes the importance of accountability and ethical practices in the digital space.

Under the leadership of Musalia Mudavadi, the Ministry seeks to reassure diplomatic missions and international organizations of Kenya’s commitment to dialogue, constitutional obligations, and maintaining a stable international environment.,While some critics argue that the Ministry’s statement seeks to downplay citizen-led activism, others view it as a necessary step to safeguard Kenya’s diplomatic interests.

“These activities initially sparked by genuine protests by Gen-Z’s have evolved into organized cyber attacks by a few social media influencers and seek to delegitimize government initiatives, discourage high-level visits, de-campaign Kenya’s candidates for international and regional positions while sending intimidatory messages to members of the international community.

As a way to mitigate cyber attacks, the government announced initiatives were underway to develop technologies that would promote accountability and ethical practices on the internet.

This comes as The government of Kenya through Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen directed social media companies to establish physical offices in the country to enhance accountability and curb misuse of digital platforms.,This directive follows a meeting on January 16, 2025, where Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo engaged with telecom and social media stakeholders to bolster cybersecurity, promote responsible platform use, and address online harassment and hate speech.

The directive was issued in response to a standoff fueled by negative online posts targeting top government officials, including President William Ruto, who expressed anger over depictions of them in coffins and other caricatures.

The Ministry of Interior emphasized the need for responsibility and accountability in the face of escalating disinformation, social media manipulation, and online abuse.,The ministry’s announcement also highlighted the expectation of strict compliance from telecommunications providers and platform owners to take stronger action against criminal activities online.

“To ensure responsibility and accountability in the face of rising disinformation, social media manipulation, and online abuse, all social media organizations operating in the country must establish a physical presence within our jurisdiction,” the Ministry of Interior announced after a meeting of stakeholders with Interior Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo.

The ministry said on its X account that the PS has met representatives from telecommunications companies and social media platforms without elaborating further.

This is seen as an apparent directive at global tech including Ellon Musk’s X formerly Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, Youtube, LinkedIn, Pinterest among others.

“The growing cases of harassment, hate speech, and incitement to violence necessitate immediate and decisive measures,” the Interior Ministry stated. “Strict compliance with this requirement is expected, with telecommunications providers and platform owners required to take stronger action against criminal activities online.”

The Ministry’s recent statement addressed the escalating online tensions between Kenyans and the government, reflecting the growing disconnect between President Ruto and his electorate, which is raising concerns at the international level.

The Ministry’s response to the cyber attacks followed a troubling report from a Dutch media outlet. The report claimed that the Dutch Foreign Affairs Ministry was aware of Kenyans’ dissatisfaction with the government, despite President Ruto extending an invitation to His Majesty King Willem-Alexander.

Notably, the online attacks on the Kenya Kwanza government have intensified to a distressing extent. Some online users have even gone as far as launching an online petition to cancel the state visit of the Dutch Royals to Kenya.

Additionally, the candidacy of ODM’s Raila Odinga for the African Union Commission has faced online threats. Certain unethical social media users have openly supported Mr. Odinga’s main rivals for the seat, posing a challenge to his candidacy.

While the government aims to improve accountability, the directive is expected to encounter resistance from civil society groups and Kenyans concerned about potential restrictions on free speech

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