Promoting Effective and Inclusive ICT Policy in Africa

Tag Archives: Internet Freedom

  HomeCollaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA)  /  Internet Freedom
10Sep

Here are The Pre-Events Warming Up for #FIFAfrica25

Author CIPESA Posted on

FIFAfrica |

In the lead-up to the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica25), a series of pre-events will set the stage for engaging discussions and actions. These sessions set to be held between September 22-24, 2025, serve as a build-up to the Forum by creating avenues for deeper engagement with critical themes that resonate with the content of the Forum. This year, a diverse range of partners have established a series of pre-event sessions focused on various aspects of digital rights, governance, and advocacy across Africa with the goal of addressing the evolving digital landscape. Several common themes emerge from the upcoming pre-event sessions, which are by invitation or by registration.

Find the full list of Pre-events below (Some limited slots are open for registration) | Find the full FIFAfrica Agenda here

Various pre-event sessions include inter-organisational collaboration and capacity building within African networks. These include meetings to be hosted by the African Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA), Digital Rights Alliance Africa (DRAA), and the Association for Progressive Communications (APC).

Some sessions place a significant focus on understanding and influencing digital rights and data governance. This includes training National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and human rights, preparing them for regional consultations on protecting digital civic space from human rights harms. Meanwhile, a session on the “United Voices: Media & Civil Society for African Data Governance” will address how the pervasive nature of datafication has fractured the symbiotic relationship between media and civil society. A session on “Gender Transformative Data Governance in Africa” will highlight the need for a gender-responsive approach to data governance, built upon addressing the minimal representation of diverse gender perspectives and the dominance of private sector interests.

A series of litigation surgeries hosted by Media Defense will be dedicated towards building expertise and capacity among lawyers across Sub-Saharan Africa to protect and advance freedom of expression. Participants will receive expert-led training on international and regional legal frameworks, engage in collaborative case analysis, and strengthen their ability to litigate before national courts and international human rights bodies.

Some pre-events are dedicated towards amplifying the achievements of leveraging advocacy and international mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to advance digital rights. These sessions hosted by the Civil Alliance for Digital Empowerment (CADE), Small Media, and CIPESA, aim to build the digital advocacy capacities of civil society and policymakers in Africa. These efforts are also extended to the youth and will see the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) host an advocacy training for young activists on the African Union system.

An Africa Regional Consultation on Global Policy and Legal Action, collaboratively hosted by the Danish Human Rights Institute, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), and CIPESA, aims to provide clarity on state obligations and company responsibilities regarding digitally mediated human rights harms, supporting civil society advocacy against disinformation and the shrinking of democratic/civic space. The “Spaces of Solidarity (SoS) Forum”, hosted by DW Akademie, also focuses on compiling and updating advocacy positions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including the impact of shrinking international funding. The “African MILE Production” workshop, also hosted by DW Akademie further promotes open exchange on media production, digital campaigning, and cross-border collaboration to strengthen regional media impact.

FIFAfrica25 will also be the home for a “Digital Rights Academy” hosted by NamTushwe and Paradigm Initiative (PIN). The Academy aims to raise awareness and knowledge of digital rights and inclusion, enhancing stakeholders’ capacity to foster inclusive and rights-respecting legislation in their countries.

Digital resilience is a key component of the Forum and also features as a key component of several pre-event sessions including the “Africa Cybersecurity Advocacy Workshop” hosted by the Internet Society (ISOC) a “Digital Security and Localization Workshop” hosted by the Localization Lab. Both sessions are aimed at enhancing digital skills and practices amongst various stakeholders. There is also a led session on “From Harm to Justice: Reimagining Digital Safety for Women and Girls in Africa,” which explores the increasing incidence of online gender-based violence (TFGBV), including image-based abuse and algorithmic amplification of harmful content, and how systemic inequality and weak legal enforcement contribute to these harms.

Line-up of Pre-Events at FIFAfrica25 (Full details can be found in the Agenda)
September 22, 2025 
Pre-Event NameHost/s
Litigation SurgeryMedia Defense
Safety of Voices Meeting Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
United Voices: Media & Civil Society for African Data GovernanceData Governance in Africa Research Fund, Media Institute of Southern Africa, Namibia Media Foundation and DW Akademie.
September 23, 2025
NHRI Training on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human RightsDanish Human Rights Institute and CIPESA (Register – limited slots available)
Litigation SurgeryMedia Defense
Digitalise Youth Project: Advocacy TrainingEuropean Partnership for Democracy (EPD)
Annual Convening and Capacity BuildingAfrican Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA)
Africa Cybersecurity Advocacy WorkshopInternet Society (ISOC)
Spaces of Solidarity Forum: Strategic Dialogue on the Policy Agenda in Southern AfricaDW Akademie
From Harm to Justice: Reimagining Digital Safety for Women and Girls in AfricaEquality Now  (Register – limited slots available)
Africa Members MeetingAssociation for Progressive Communications (APC)
Amplifying Achievements of Digital Rights Advocacy through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR): Testimonies from our PartnersCADE, Small Media and CIPESA  (Register – limited slots available)
Digital Rights Alliance Africa (DRAA) Member MeetingInternational Centre for Non-for-Profit Law (ICNL) and CIPESA
Digital Security and Localization WorkshopLocalization Lab, the Digital Society of Africa and NamTushwe
September 24, 2025
Africa Regional Consultation on Global Policy and Legal ActionDanish Human Rights Institute, International Commission of Jurists
 (ICJ) and CIPESA  (Register – limited slots available)
Litigation SurgeryMedia Defense
Digitalise Youth Project: Consortium MeetingEuropean Partnership for Democracy (EPD)
Annual Convening and Capacity BuildingAfrican Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA)
Africa Cybersecurity Advocacy WorkshopInternet Society (ISOC)
Digital Rights AcademyNamTushwe and Paradigm Initiative (PIN)
Gender Transformative Data Governance in AfricaPollicy
African MILE Production: Putting the Advocacy Message into Practice!DW Akademie
AFEX Member MeetingMedia Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)
Amplifying Achievements of Digital Rights Advocacy through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR): Testimonies from our Partners CADE, Small Media and CIPESA (Register – limited slots available)
Digital Rights Alliance Africa (DRAA) Member MeetingInternational Centre for Non-for-Profit Law (ICNL) and CIPESA

06Aug

Making AI More Participatory and Inclusive for the Benefit of All Africans

Author CIPESA Posted on

Joint Statement |

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping our societies; we must ensure ethical, inclusive, and rights-based approaches rooted in the lived realities of our communities, guide its development and application in Africa. 

The Global AI Summit on Africa 2025 held in April in Kigali is one of the important movements and platforms, bringing together civil society organizations, african leaders, parliamentarians, youth actors, researchers, and private sector leaders, to champion principles that uphold human dignity, safeguard marginalized voices, and foster responsible innovation. We applaud the inspiring conversations around AI’s transformative potential for the continent, driven at the Summit. However, such a conversation should not end there. To move from inspiration to impact, we must recognize that some critical voices need to be involved in decision-making spaces.

In collaboration with Niyel, Mozilla, Pollicy, ACM Nigeria, Innovation for Policy Foundation, MISA, and the Namibia University, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) contributed to the development of this call, addressed to african leaders, organisers, and co-chairs of the Global AI Summit 2025 to emphasise the need for more inclusive and participatory approaches.

Through this statement, we are calling for clear commitments and tangible actions around three priorities:

  • Decent AI Jobs for Africa’s people
  • Meaningful public participation in AI governance
  • Resources and support for inclusive, participatory AI development

We invite you to join the call for action and become a signatory to a collective statement that pushes for global collaboration, transparency, and oversight in AI governance. Your voice matters in shaping a future where AI serves humanity, not the other way around. 25 signatories are on board. Whether you’re advocating for gender justice, digital inclusion, or ethical tech, this is your moment to co-create solutions that reflect shared values and lived realities.

Sign the call. Share it widely. Mobilize your networks. Together, we can build an AI ecosystem rooted in equity, accountability, and collective knowledge.

To sign the statement, fill out this form and click here to download the statement.

23Jul

CIPESA Welcomes Namibia Ministry of ICT and the Namibia IGF as Co-Hosts of FIFAFrica25

Author CIPESA Posted on

By FIFAfrica |

The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) is pleased to announce that the 2025 edition of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica25) will be co-hosted in partnership with the Namibian Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) and the Namibia Internet Governance Forum (NamIGF).

Set to take place in Windhoek, Namibia, from September 25–27, 2025, this year’s Forum will serve as yet another notch in FIFAfrica’s 12-year history of assembling digital rights defenders, policymakers, technologists, academics, regulators, journalists, and the donor community, who all have the shared vision of advancing internet freedom in Africa.

With its strong commitments to democratic governance, press freedom, and inclusive digital development, Namibia offers fertile ground for rich dialogues on the future of internet freedom in Africa. The country holds a powerful legacy in the global media and information landscape, being the birthplace of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration on promoting independent and pluralistic media. In a digital age where new challenges are emerging – from information integrity and Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance to connectivity gaps and platform accountability – hosting FIFAfrica in Namibia marks a key moment for the movement toward trusted information as a public good, including in the digital age.

“Through the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Namibia is proud to co-host FIFAfrica25 as a demonstration of our commitment to advancing technology for inclusive social and economic development. This Forum comes at a critical moment for Africa’s digital future, and we welcome the opportunity to engage with diverse voices from across the continent and beyond in shaping a rights-respecting, secure, and innovative digital landscape,” Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Emma Inamutila Theofelus

This sentiment is shared by the NamIGF Chairperson, Albertine Shipena. “We are honoured to co-host the FIFAfrica25 here in Namibia. This partnership with MICT and CIPESA marks a significant step in advancing digital rights, open governance, and meaningful multistakeholder engagement across the continent. As the NamIGF, we are proud to contribute to shaping a more inclusive and secure internet ecosystem, while spotlighting Namibia’s growing role in regional and global digital conversations.”

The NamIGF was established in September 2017, through a Cabinet decision, as a multistakeholder platform that facilitates public policy discussion on issues pertaining to the internet in Namibia.

Dr. Wairagala Wakabi, the CIPESA Executive Director, noted that FIFAfrica25 presents a timely opportunity to advance progressive digital policy agendas that uphold fundamental rights and promote digital democracy in Africa. “As global debates on internet governance, data sovereignty, and platform accountability intensify, it is essential that Africans inform and shape the frameworks that govern our digital spaces. We are honoured to partner with the Namibian government and NamIGF to convene this critical conversation on the continent,” he said.

Since its inception in 2014, FIFAfrica has grown to become the continent’s leading assembly of actors instrumental in shaping conversations and actions at the intersection of technology with democracy, society and the economy. It has become the stage for concerted efforts to advance digital rights and digital inclusion. These issues, and new emerging themes such as mental health, climate and the environment, and the content economy, will take centre stage at FIFAfrica25, which will feature a mix of plenaries, workshops, exhibitions, and a series of pre-events.

Meanwhile, FIFAfrica will also recognise the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI), celebrated annually on September 28. The commemoration serves to underscore the fundamental role of access to information in empowering individuals, supporting informed decision-making, fostering innovation, and advancing inclusive and sustainable development – tenets which resonate with the Forum. This year’s celebration is themed, “Ensuring Access to Environmental Information in the Digital Age”.

At the heart of the Forum is a Community of Allies that have, over the years, stood alongside CIPESA in its pursuit of effective and inclusive digital governance in Africa.

Feedback on Session Proposals and Travel Support Applications

All successful session proposals and travel support applicants have been contacted directly. See the list of successful sessions here. Thank you for your patience and for contributing to what promises to be an exciting FIFAfrica25.  

Prepare for FIFAfrica25: Travel and Logistics

Everything you need to plan your attendance at the Forum can be found here – visit this page for key logistical details and tips to help you make the most of your experience!

CIPESA @ IGF 2025
23Jun

Amplifying African Voices in Global Digital Governance

Author CIPESA Writer Posted on

By CIPESA Writer |

The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) will be participating at the 2025 Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Norway. The IGF serves as key  global multistakeholder platform that facilitates the discussion of public policy issues pertaining to the Internet. This year, the Forum takes place from June 23-27, 2025 in Lillestrom, Norway under the overarching theme of Building Our Multistakeholder Digital Future.

CIPESA will contribute expertise across multiple sessions that examine digital rights in the Global South. These include discussions on repressive cyber laws and their impact on civic space, inclusive and harmonised data governance frameworks for Africa, and the barriers to participation in global technical standards development. CIPESA will also join sessions highlighting cross-regional cooperation on data governance, digital inclusion of marginalised groups, and the need for multilingual accessibility in global digital processes. CIPESA will also support a booth (number #57) hosted by the Civil Society Alliances for Digital Empowerment (CADE)  of which it is a member. The booth will showcase activities and resources, including the winners of the AI Artivism for Digital Rights Competition, the Youth Voices for Digital Rights programme, and much more. Through these engagements, CIPESA enhance and amplify African perspectives on platform accountability, digital justice, and rights-based approaches to internet governance.The insights gathered and shared at the IGF will also inform the upcoming 2025 edition of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica25) – an event convened annually by CIPESA. The Forum, now in its 12th year ranks as Africa’s leading platform for shaping digital rights, inclusion, and governance conversations. This year, the Forum will be hosted in  Windhoek, Namibia and will take place on September 24–26, 2025.

Here is where to find CIPESA @ IGF2025 ..

Monday, June 23 | 16:00-17:00 (CEST) – Workshop Room 3

Day 0 Event #257:  Enhancing Data Governance in the Public Sector  

This session will examine the state of data governance in the public sector of developing countries, emphasizing the importance of inclusive, multi-stakeholder engagement. It highlights how current frameworks often centre government institutions while neglecting interoperability, collaboration, and broader policy cohesion. Using global case studies—particularly from Papua New Guinea—it will spotlight challenges and propose innovations like centralized oversight bodies, interoperable platforms, and adaptive governance. Best practices such as real-time analytics, data partnerships, and capacity building will be explored to support scalable and context-specific governance solutions.

Tuesday, June 24 |  14:45–15:45 (CEST) – Workshop Room 4

Open Forum #56: Shaping Africa’s Digital Future: Multi-Stakeholder Panel on Data Governance

As Africa advances its digital transformation, harmonized data governance is critical to unlocking the continent’s potential for inclusive growth and digital trade. Fragmented national policies and inconsistent cross-border data frameworks create barriers to innovation, privacy, and cybersecurity. This session will convene stakeholders from government, industry, and civil society to explore strategies for regulatory alignment, trusted data flows, and climate-resilient governance models. Aligned with the AU Data Policy Framework, it will highlight best practices to build a unified, rights-respecting digital economy in Africa.

Tuesday, June 24 | 13:30-15:30 (CEST) –  Room  Studio N

Parliamentary session 4: From dialogue to action: Advancing digital cooperation across regions and stakeholder groups

Host: UN, Stortinget (Norwegian Parliament) and Inter Parliamentary UnionInternet (IPU)

Building on the outputs of the 2024 IGF Parliamentary Track and the discussions held so far in 2025, this multi-stakeholder consultation will bring together MPs and key digital players to reflect on how to operationalize concrete, inclusive and collaborative policymaking efforts. All groups will be invited to propose cooperative approaches to building digital governance and identify practical steps for sustaining cooperation beyond the IGF.

Wednesday, June 25 | 17:30 -19:00(CEST) – Workshop room 4, NOVA Spektrum 

Side event: Aspirations for the India AI Impact Summit

Hosts: CIPESA, Centre for Communication Governance at National Law University Delhi (CCG), United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (UN ODET).

This closed-door dialogue aims to spark early conversations toward an inclusive and representative Global AI Impact Summit, focusing on the participation of Global Majority experts. It will explore meaningful engagement in Summit working groups, side events, and knowledge sharing, especially building on insights from the Paris Summit. The session is part of a broader effort to host multiple convenings that strengthen diverse stakeholder participation in global AI governance. By addressing foundational questions now, the dialogue seeks to shape intentional, impactful, and inclusive discussions at the upcoming Summit.

Wednesday June 25 | 09:00-09:45 (CEST) – Workshop Room 4

Networking Session #93: Cyber Laws and Civic Space – Global South–North Advocacy Strategies

Host: CADE

Many governments are enacting cyber laws to address online crime, but these often contain vague provisions that enable repression of journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens. In practice, such laws have facilitated mass surveillance, curtailed privacy, and been weaponised to stifle dissent, particularly under authoritarian regimes. This session brings together Global North and Global South civil society actors to exchange experiences, resources, and strategies for resisting repressive cyber legislation. It will focus on how collaborative advocacy can support legal reform and safeguard digital rights through shared tools, solidarity, and policy influence.

Wednesday, June 25 | 14:15–15:30 (CEST) – Workshop Room 4

Open Forum #7: Advancing Data Governance Together – Across Regions

Hosts: CIPESA, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, The Republic of The Gambia

As cross-border data flows grow rapidly, effective data governance is essential for fostering trust, security, and inclusive digital development. However, fragmented national regulations and inconsistent privacy and cybersecurity standards pose challenges to regional and global cooperation. This session brings together stakeholders from Africa, the Eastern Partnership, and the Western Balkans to explore harmonized, interoperable governance models that support responsible data sharing and economic growth. Through collaborative dialogue, the session will identify strategies for aligning data governance with digital rights, innovation, and sustainable development across diverse regional contexts.

Thursday, June 26 | 12:30–13:00 (CEST) – Open Stage

Lightning Talk #90: Tower of Babel Chaos – Tackling the Challenges of Multilingualism for Inclusive Communication

Host: CADE

This interactive session, led by members of the Civil Alliances for Digital Empowerment (CADE), highlights the communication challenges faced in global digital forums due to linguistic, gender, and geographic diversity. Using a flash-mob-style simulation, participants will experience firsthand the difficulties of multistakeholder dialogue when multiple native languages intersect without common understanding. The session underscores that language is often the most significant barrier to meaningful inclusion in global digital governance. It aims to provoke thought on the urgent need for more multilingual and accessible participation in international digital policy spaces.

Thursday, June 26 | 16:00-17:00 (CEST) – Workshop Room 6

WS #214: AI Readiness in Africa in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape

Host: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), supported by GIZ

AI has vast potential, but without proper governance, it risks deepening inequality and reinforcing Africa’s dependency on global tech powers. Despite growing local engagement, Africa remains underrepresented in global AI development due to limited investment, regulatory gaps, and the dominance of multinational firms, raising concerns about digital exploitation. This session will bring together diverse voices to explore how Africa can build inclusive, locally rooted AI ecosystems that protect rights and serve regional needs.

Friday, June 27 | 09:00–10:00 (CEST) – Workshop Room 2

Open Forum #34: How Technical Standards Shape Connectivity and Inclusion

Host: Freedom Online Coalition

Technical standards are essential to enabling global connectivity, interoperability, and inclusive digital access, but their development often excludes voices from the Global Majority and marginalized communities. This session will examine how open and interoperable standards can bridge the digital divide, focusing on infrastructure such as undersea cables, network protocols, and security frameworks. It will explore barriers to inclusive participation in standard-setting bodies like the ITU, IETF, IEEE, and W3C, and identify strategies for transparency and multistakeholder engagement. By promoting equitable, rights-respecting technical governance, the session aims to support digital inclusion and advance sustainable development goals.

Friday, June 27 | 11:45–12:30 (CEST) – Workshop Room 6

Networking Session #74: Mapping Digital Rights Capacities and Threats

Host: Oxfam

This session will present findings from multi-country research on digital rights capacities and threats, with a focus on historically marginalised groups in the Global South. It will showcase innovative strategies and tools used to build digital literacy and awareness, using poster presentations from Bolivia, Cambodia, Palestine, Somalia, and Vietnam. Participants will engage in a moderated discussion to share practical approaches and collaborate on building a more inclusive, rights-based digital ecosystem. The session will also contribute to a shared online repository of tools, fostering international cooperation and capacity-building through the ReCIPE program led by Oxfam.

Friday, June 27 | 11:45–12:30 (CEST) – Workshop Room 5

Networking Session #200 – Cross-Regional Connections for Information Resilience 

Host: Proboxve

This networking session brings together participants from diverse regions to connect, share experiences, and develop collaborative strategies for safeguarding information integrity in electoral processes while upholding internet freedoms. The session will address critical challenges such as disinformation, censorship, foreign interference, platform manipulation, and civic education, emphasizing the importance of protecting digital rights, especially during elections.

04Jun

Joint Statement by the ICT Sector on the Unlawful Arrest and Prosecution of Rose Njeri

Author CIPESA Posted on

Joint Statement |

We, the undersigned stakeholders in Kenya’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, stand together in firm condemnation of the unlawful arrest, detention, and prosecution of software developer and civic activist Rose Njeri (@rtunguru)

Rose Njeri, a software developer and mother of two, was detained on Friday, May 30, 2025, following a police raid on her home in Nairobi, where authorities seized her electronic devices, including her phone, laptop, and hard drives. As of this morning, she remained detained, her whereabouts were unknown, and she had not been presented to any court, despite multiple attempts by her legal counsel to establish the charges against her or secure her release. Reports indicate that Ms. Njeri suffers from anaemia and was denied proper access to healthcare during her detention. In addition, her arrest and detention over a long public holiday weekend appear to have been deliberately calculated to extend her detention without judicial oversight.

It is alleged that Ms. Njeri’s arrest stems from her development of an online civic platform (civic-email.vercel.app) which seeks to provide a coordinated solution for Kenyan citizens to formally present views to the National Assembly in response to the ongoing public participation discussions on the Finance Bill, 2025. In particular, the platform enables them to simply register their objections to clause 52 of the Bill which proposes the deletion of Section 59A (1B) of the Tax Procedures Act, which currently prohibits the Commissioner of the Kenya Revenue Authority from requiring a person to integrate or share data relating to “(a) trade secrets; and (b) private or personal data held on behalf of customers or collected in the course of business.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Ms. Njeri was presented before the court, more than 88 hours after her arrest, despite the legal requirement under Article 49 of the Constitution that she be brought to court within 24 hours.  Worse, she has been charged under Section 16 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018 with “unauthorised interference with a computer system,” an offence which carries a maximum penalty of a fine of up to ten million shillings, imprisonment of up to five years, or both. These could double if aggravating circumstances are cited. Ms. Njeri has since been released on personal bond of KES 100,000 and will be expected back in court on 20 June 2025 for a ruling on the validity of the charges.

We view this charge as baseless, trumped-up, and irrelevant to the alleged offence, as it misrepresents a legitimate act of civic engagement as a cybercrime. In our considered view, embracing digital technologies and the creation of a platform to facilitate public participation on the Finance Bill 2025 is a protected exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and public participation under Articles 10, 33, 35, and 118 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. Section 16 is intended to address serious cybercrimes such as hacking, sabotage, or malicious disruption of computer systems by individuals who act without authorisation or consent from the system owner. Therefore, to charge Ms. Njeri under Section 16 is a gross misapplication of the law, an abuse of court process, and a disproportionate act which fails to demonstrate any credible offence, interference, or threat to public safety or national security as claimed.

Ms. Njeri’s prosecution comes in the wake of a recent public apology by the President to the public. It is also not an isolated incident but one that is emblematic of a dangerous pattern in Kenya, where authorities have repeatedly weaponised various ICT laws to intimidate and silence government critics, activists, bloggers, journalists, technologists and citizens. They are measures designed to stifle digital rights, activism, and the civic space, rather than to curb real-world cybercrimes. As of December 2024, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) detected at least 840,921,998 cyber threats, an increase of 27.2% reported in the previous quarter, yet these are barely investigated or the responsible cyber criminals prosecuted.

Kenya has long been recognised as a beacon of digital growth and innovation in Africa, a reputation built on its vibrant technology landscape and a constitutional framework that safeguards fundamental human rights. A thriving, innovative, and competitive ICT sector is inextricably linked to a free, open, and secure digital space. A climate of fear, pervasive surveillance, and arbitrary arrests and detentions severely undermines Kenya’s hard-earned reputation as a regional technology hub. The sector cannot flourish where fundamental rights are routinely undermined or where the rule of law is selectively applied. The predictability and stability afforded by robust digital rights protections are crucial for attracting local and foreign investment, fostering innovation, and ensuring Kenya’s continued leadership in the digital economy.

As ICT sector stakeholders, we reaffirm our commitment to an open, inclusive, and secure digital ecosystem in Kenya. We stand in solidarity with Rose Njeri and all individuals unjustly targeted for exercising their digital rights. The misuse of the CMCA to criminalise a public interest technology platform for civic participation is a direct attack on democratic values and innovation. We pledge to advocate for policies that protect human rights while promoting digital civic engagement.

We also urge the Kenyan public, international community, and fellow ICT stakeholders to join us in condemning these violations and to demand greater accountability.

Also, we call on the Kenyan government, law enforcement, and relevant authorities to:

Immediately drop the charges against Rose Njeri unconditionally, and return all her confiscated electronic devices without delay. Ensure that ICT laws are not misused or weaponised to suppress legitimate exercise of rights and cease practices such as arbitrary arrests, detentions without charge, and the confiscation of devices. Officers engaging in such unlawful practices should be held accountable for their actions. Reform the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act and the Kenya Information and Communications Act (KICA), and abandon proposed Bills that violate digital rights or stifle legitimate online activities. Engage with stakeholders in the ICT sector, including academia, media, civil society, and the tech community, to develop laws that promote cybersecurity while safeguarding fundamental human rights. Demonstrate a clear and unwavering commitment to fostering an open, secure, and rights-respecting digital ecosystem, including refraining from arbitrary internet shutdowns, content blocking, and unlawful surveillance.

Lastly, we reaffirm our commitment to defending digital rights and civic space in Kenya. The use of public digital tools to facilitate citizen engagement with Parliament is not a crime; it is a cornerstone of our democracy.

Signatories

Access Now

Africa Centre for People Institutions and Society (ACEPIS)

ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa

Baraza Media Lab

Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE)

CIPESA

CyberYetu

Data Privacy and Governance Society of Kenya (DPGSK)

Founders Connect Kenya

IAWRT Kenya

Icon Data and Learning Labs

Interactive Entertainment Association

Internet Society, Kenya Chapter

Internews – KenSafeSpace

Kenya Coalition on Youth Peace and Security

KICTANet

Kijiji Yeetu

Media Lawyers Association of Kenya (MLAK)

Mzalendo Trust

Paradigm Initiative

Pollicy Data Institute

Tatua Digital Resilience Centre

Women in STEM Leaders Network

Women in Tech Policy and Governance

zKe Voices

1 … 8 9 10 11 12 … 39