26/05/2026
Al Jazeera’s latest exposé has shone a stark light on Kenya’s expanding surveillance apparatus. Tools once justified for countering terrorism are reportedly being repurposed to track ordinary citizens ,through geolocation, IP tracing, data sharing by telecom giants, and even spyware, especially in the wake of the 2024 protests.
This raises profound questions for every Kenyan:
When does “national security” cross into suppression of legitimate dissent?
In a nation where mobile money and digital services are lifelines, who truly owns our data us, or the state and corporations holding it?
Can a thriving digital economy coexist with eroded privacy and chilled free speech?
Kenya’s Constitution explicitly protects the right to privacy (Article 31) and freedom of expression. These are not privileges; they are the bedrock of a functioning democracy. Surveillance without robust oversight, transparency, and judicial warrants risks turning innovation into a tool of control rather than empowerment.
We must demand better: stronger data protection laws with real teeth, independent oversight of security agencies, and accountability from telecom providers. True progress isn’t just building a tech hub , it’s ensuring that hub serves free citizens, not a surveilled population.
