NAIROBI, Kenya — The Kenyan government has announced plans to introduce stronger legislation aimed at harshening penalties for individuals who prey on girls, especially those exploiting emerging digital platforms.
The proposed law, set for debate in Parliament, targets loopholes in existing statutes and seeks faster prosecution and stiffer sanctions for sexual offences.
Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore has led calls for reform, highlighting how the rise of internet access among learners, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, has facilitated online grooming, sextortion, and the circulation of child sexual abuse content.
During Kenya’s National Safer Internet Day event in Kilifi, Bore described the current legal framework as inadequate for prosecuting modern forms of child exploitation.
Under the proposals:
- Online platforms would be required to cooperate with investigations of sexual offences involving minors, including providing access to data needed by law enforcement.
- Acts such as grooming, sexting, sexual extortion, and livestreaming of sexual abuse would be explicitly criminalised under a revised Sexual Offences Amendment Bill or new related legislation.
- More protective measures for victims, especially children, including safe houses, gender desks in public hospitals, and stricter penalties for offenders.
Advocacy groups and legal experts have welcomed the move, calling it long overdue. Miss Mary Wambui of Cradle Kenya, which campaigns for children’s rights, emphasized that online sexual predators often exploit gaps in the law, using anonymity and cross-border networks to evade arrest.
Still, challenges remain. Implementation will depend on the capacity of law enforcement, the judiciary, and regulatory bodies to keep up with evolving forms of digital abuse.
Critics also warn that mere laws are not enough unless paired with awareness campaigns, strong forensic tech, child protection services, and support systems for survivors.
As Kenya prepares to sharpen its legal tools against predators, all eyes are on Parliamentary timelines for passing the new measures and on whether these reforms will reduce the alarming rates of abuse against girls both online and offline.
