Newly sworn-in Information, Communication, and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary (CS) William Kabogo has urged Kenyans to exercise responsible use of social media amid ongoing online criticisms of President William Ruto’s administration.
Kabogo officially assumed office on Saturday during a ceremony in Nairobi, taking over from Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi, who had been serving as the Acting ICT Minister since December 2024 following a Cabinet reshuffle.
Speaking at the handover, Kabogo announced plans for a nationwide sensitization campaign to raise awareness about digital rights, including data privacy protections.
However, he reassured the public that these initiatives would not aim to limit freedom of expression but rather to encourage respectful and ethical online behavior.
Referencing a viral AI-generated deepfake video that depicted President William Ruto in a coffin, Kabogo voiced his concern over the misuse of digital tools. He emphasized the need for online accountability and ethical conduct in the digital space.
“The minute you put someone in a coffin and depict someone in a coffin. It may be fun at your age of 20…what happens when you are 42 and your son is 19 or 20 and someone puts you or depicts you in a coffin. It will not be fun for your children,” Kabogo said.
He further urged parents and leaders to educate the younger generation about the responsible use of technology.
“We should be able to talk to our children and to each other and understand that this field is good. Information is power but let us do things responsibly. We have laws that govern misuse and abuse of this platform,” he added.
Prime CS Mudavadi, during the same event, addressed concerns surrounding the upcoming state visit by Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, scheduled for March 18-20, 2025.
Despite a trending hashtag, #CancelStateVisit, aimed at discouraging the visit, Mudavadi confirmed that the trip would proceed as planned.
“We did not invite the King of Netherlands or the Royal Family to visit through social media. There are government channels for such invitations. So where is this rumour coming from that because a few people have played on social media that it has affected our relationship with the Netherlands?” said Mudavadi.
He dismissed the online campaign as a baseless rumor, emphasizing the strong partnership between Kenya and the Netherlands.
“Our partnership with the Netherlands is very solid. There are strong investors in this country and there will continue being strong investors in this country and we have a very good relationship. The rest is just a rumour mill but it may be pleasing those who think it is gaining traction,” he stated.
Kabogo’s appointment as ICT CS follows President Ruto’s December 2024 Cabinet reshuffle. Other notable nominations include Mutahi Kagwe as CS for Agriculture and former Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui as CS for Investment and Trade.
During the transitional period, Prime CS Mudavadi has been acting as the ICT CS, Environment CS Aden Duale has temporarily overseen the Agriculture Ministry, and Youth Affairs CS Salim Mvurya has acted as Trade CS.