This archive report was first published on 5 November 2021.
On November 5, 2021, the Kenyan government took a significant step towards combating cybercrime and social media abuse with the unveiling of the National Computer and Cybercrime Coordination Committee (NC4) Secretariat.
The NC4 Secretariat will be responsible for consolidating action on the detection, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrimes, with a particular emphasis on the misuse of social media.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang'i, who officiated the launch of the Secretariat, described social media misuse as a major threat to national security and integration.
"As we approach the general elections, our challenge number one is the misuse and abuse of social media," Dr. Matiang'i said, adding that digital communication and transactions were a growing reality of the public and private sectors.
He urged all arms of the government to invest commensurately in relevant training to address the growing threat of cybercrime and digital-driven crimes.
ICT CS Joe Mucheru emphasized the need for stringent application of the new law to support the digital economy.
"People have been giving public holidays on social media, killing others online, and even publishing content from different countries to mislead citizens. This habit must stop," he said.
Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Karanja Kibicho, who chairs the NC4, said the unveiling of the Secretariat will deter rampant abuse and character assassinations on social media.
The NC4 was established under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act of 2018 to enable timely prohibition, detection, investigation, prosecution, and response to computer misuse and cybercrime.
