Kenya is currently experiencing ongoing protests by citizens who have taken to the stress to express their dissatisfaction with the current government. On June 25, a section of the angry demonstrators breached parliament, made away with the ceremonial mace, and set ablaze part of the premises as well as part of Nairobi’s City Hall. The president branded the protesters as criminals and their actions as treasonous, which resulted in him deploying the Kenya Defense Forces to support the police in dealing with the nationwide protests. The defence Cabinet secretary gazetted this deployment on June 25, which the National Assembly approved on June 26. The gazette claimed the deployment was necessary due to “…threats to national security planned and orchestrated through various platforms in cyberspace…”
Tatua Digital Resilience Centre has noted with great concern the arbitrary arrests, abductions, and detaining of Kenyans involved in the demonstrations some of whom are minors. Furthermore, the army’s deployment poses a significant risk of increased surveillance, cyber attacks, and online harassment of protesters, SJOs, bloggers, and content creators active in the ongoing protests. Social media platforms and governments can track online activity, including posts, messages, and even location data. This information could be used to identify, monitor, and potentially target human rights defenders. Furthermore, Depending on the local laws and political climate, online activism could be misconstrued as dissent or incitement. Posts critical of the government or highlighting human rights abuses could lead to arrest or unlawful detention.
Any of these actors can reach us for digital security support listed on this post and any other digital resilience issues they may face.
They can reach the centre via one or more of the following methods:
- Through the contact form attached to this page on our website: https://tatua.digital/#contact
- Through our Phone / SMS / WhatsApp / Signal number: +254 110 730 730
- Through an email addressed to: support@tatua.digital
- The centre has developed an online helpdesk system for individuals and organizations to raise a ticket and submit evidence to support their request for digital security.
Tips to consider when submitting a request to the centre:
- Be clear about the urgency: Clearly outline the nature of the threat or risk you are facing
- Gather evidence: Where possible document the situation with photos, videos, witness statements, and any other relevant information. The more evidence you have, the stronger your case.
- Identify specific needs: Be specific about the type of digital security support you need. This post here can help you identify the types of digital security support we can offer you
- Remember to keep your submission concise and focused: This will help us quickly identify and respond to your specific concerns
- Be professional: Use respectful language and proofread your request carefully before submitting it
- Provide contact information: Make sure Tatua has a way to reach you for further information and to provide you with support
- Follow up: If you don’t hear back from Tatua within a reasonable timeframe, follow up with them to inquire about the status of your request
- Emergencies: Follow up with us within 2 hours if the situation is dire
- High risks: Follow up with us within a day
- Moderate risks: You can follow up with us within 48 hours
- Low risks: Please understand that we may take up to 2 weeks to respond to you because priority will be given to emergencies, high, and moderate risks In that order
By following these tips, you can increase your chances of receiving the urgent support you need from Tatua. Remember to go through our cyber hygiene materials to familiarize yourself with basic cyber hygiene practices that you can adopt to reduce the risks of cyber attacks and to keep your advocacy devices in optimum health.