NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 26 \u2013 National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang\u2019ula has defended the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, stating that the law aims to protect the sanctity of the family unit, particularly children, while curbing violent extremism, online exploitation, and the spread of cultism in Kenya.<\/p>\n
Speaking on during a Sunday church service at St. Teresa\u2019s Isanjiro Catholic Church in Malava Town, Kakamega County, Wetang\u2019ula dismissed claims that the Act is intended to muzzle free speech. <\/p>\n
He insisted it is a moral safeguard designed to promote responsible digital behavior in an era of rapid technological transformation.<\/p>\n
\u201che Act is not meant to gag anyone or restrict legitimate expression. It is meant to protect our families, especially our children, from harmful online content, deter violent extremism, and stop the spread of cult-like ideologies that prey on the young and vulnerable,\u201d said Wetang\u2019ula.<\/p>\n
The House Speaker noted that while Kenya\u2019s digital transformation has brought immense benefits in commerce, education, and communication, it has also exposed society to new risks such as cyberbullying, child pornography, online radicalization, and misinformation.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a lawyer of many years, I can assure you this law is sound. Countries like the United States, France, Australia, and the United Kingdom have enacted similar laws to protect their societies. Kenya cannot be left behind,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
Speaker Wetang\u2019ula emphasized that the law empowers a dedicated agency to identify, penalize, and take down websites promoting harmful content, including cultism, violent extremism, and pornography.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe saw what happened in Shakahola, where innocent Kenyans lost their lives after being brainwashed through digital platforms. Such tragedies must never happen again,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He urged parents to remain vigilant in the face of these emerging challenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I leave my phone with my children, I want them to see messages that are decent and educational, not pornographic material. As parents and as a nation, we must protect our children because they are still in formative stages,\u201d the House Speaker stated.<\/p>\n
Wetang\u2019ula explained that the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, strengthens existing mechanisms for detecting, preventing, and prosecuting digital offenses, including cyber harassment, online fraud, and radicalization, while encouraging responsible online behaviour.<\/p>\n
\u201cFreedom of expression comes with responsibility. When technology is abused to promote hate, misinformation, or to exploit children, the State must intervene in the interest of public safety and moral order,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
The Speaker also expressed concern about digital cult movements that lure young people into dangerous ideologies through social media, stating that the government cannot allow Kenya\u2019s online space to be turned into a \u201crecruitment ground for cults or extremist groups.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot sit back and watch as digital spaces become breeding grounds for cults and radical groups. This law gives us the tools to protect our youth,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Wetang\u2019ula urged parents, educators, and religious leaders to actively guide children on safe internet use, adding that technology companies must cooperate with the government to flag and remove harmful content.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose who say the law is oppressive are wrong. It is progressive, forward-looking, and ensures that as we enjoy digital freedoms, we also protect citizens from abuse, exploitation, and manipulation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added that Parliament remains open to reviewing the law should genuine concerns arise but emphasized that protecting children and national security will remain non-negotiable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis law is a living instrument. If there are legitimate concerns, Parliament will always listen. But its core intent\u2014to protect our people, especially our children, from the dangers of the digital age\u2014will not change,\u201d he affirmed.<\/p>\n
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung\u2019wah, who accompanied the Speaker, also defended the legislation, stating that it aims to prevent religious extremism, cultism, and the spread of pornographic content online.<\/p>\n
\u201cCritics have been spreading misinformation that the Act undermines freedom of expression. That is false. The amendment was modeled to protect Kenyan families; families that have suffered due to unregulated online content,\u201d said Ichung\u2019wah.<\/p>\n
![<\/a><\/p>\nHe disclosed that the bill\u2019s sponsor, Aden Daud (Wajir East MP), introduced it after witnessing the devastating effects of children accessing pornographic sites through their parents\u2019 devices.<\/p>\n\u201cWe have seen families break apart and children corrupted by explicit online content. This law seeks to restore order, decency, and protect our moral fabric,\u201d Wetang\u2019ula said.Ichung\u2019wah added that the Act empowers the commission established under the law to shut down websites promoting pornography, cultism, or violent extremism.<\/p>\n\u201cIf your website promotes education or business, you have nothing to fear. But if it spreads pornography or extremist propaganda, it will be pulled down,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\nThe Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, originally enacted in 2018 and amended in 2025, criminalizes offenses such as unauthorized access to computer systems, publication of false information, cyber harassment, identity theft, and online child exploitation.<\/p>\nIt also strengthens law enforcement capacity to investigate and prosecute cybercrime and fosters international cooperation on digital security.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 26 \u2013 National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang\u2019ula has defended the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, stating that the law aims to protect the sanctity of the family unit, particularly children, while curbing violent extremism, online exploitation, and the spread of cultism in Kenya. Speaking on during a Sunday church service […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-123712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123712"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123712\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}](\"https:\/\/www.capitalfm.co.ke\/news\/files\/2025\/10\/1000275799.jpg\"){kind=link}