NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya is set to adopt one of the region’s toughest online safety regimes after lawmakers backed a proposed law targeting cybercrime, child exploitation, and digital fraud.
The Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which is nearing final approval, seeks to give authorities sweeping powers to remove harmful content, shut down rogue websites, and intervene before digital offences escalate.
Under Section 46A, investigators will be allowed to seek urgent court orders to stop the spread of unlawful or dangerous material, including extremist, child sexual, or cult-related content.
“Phishing is becoming the order of the day,” said Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie, who supported the amendments. “We seek to avert these increasing incidences of phishing, which can be executed by hyperlinks — stealing identities, money, and private information.”
The Bill broadens the definition of identity theft to include password theft and explicitly criminalises digital impersonation, phishing, and unauthorised data collection.
It also proposes tighter oversight of SIM card registration and swaps, which have been linked to a surge in mobile fraud.
Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi said the reforms respond to international pressure, particularly from the European Union, to strengthen Kenya’s capacity to tackle online child exploitation.
“This comes to cure the challenge they have been telling us we have,” Elachi said.
However, the inclusion of “terrorism” among offences that could justify website shutdowns sparked debate in Parliament, with some MPs warning that such provisions could be open to misuse if not clearly defined.
Once passed, the Bill will place Kenya among African nations with the strictest frameworks for online safety, balancing cybercrime deterrence with user protection.
