Censorship – Telegram

Good governance requires transparency, communication, clear explanation.
Otherwise people doubt your intentions and competence, however good. And
that doesn’t augur well for the industry/society.

Rgds,
A. Siaya.

On Sun, Nov 10, 2024 at 1:40 PM Ali Hussein via KICTANet <
[email protected]> wrote:

> Listers
>
> My concerns are as follows:-
>
> 1. The government should exercise transparency and issue a statement
> outlining the measures it is using to curb cheating in exams. This includes
> blocking Telegram, etc.
> 2. The Players in the Telecom Sector, through their official Lobby Group,
> TESPOK, should also issue a statement confirming or denying that the
> government has ordered them to institute this blockade of Internet
> Services, specifically Telegram. Why not WhatsApp and other platforms?
> 3. Tespok should further tell the public how many times its members have
> received these government orders and whether they have complied with them.
>
> The above measures will go a long way to allay fears and build confidence
> in how the Government uses its powers to protect its citizens.
>
> Regards
>
> *Ali Hussein*
>
> Fintech | Digital Transformation
>
>
> Tel: +254 713 601113
>
> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>
> LinkedIn: Ali’s Profile <ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim>
> <ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Any information of a personal nature expressed in this email are purely
> mine and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the
> organizations that I work with.
>
>
> On Sat, Nov 9, 2024 at 12:21 PM Odhiambo Washington via KICTANet <
> [email protected]> wrote:
>
>> As the Defo’s (devil) advocate, I have these questions:
>> 1. Do we support the government’s efforts to curb Exam cheating?
>> 2. Do we allow the government to use every way possible to achieve (1)
>> above?
>> For me, I suppose (2) is agreeable.
>>
>> We all know that the govt has the ability, legal or otherwise, to effect
>> censorship of the Internet.
>> In this case, only Mobile Network Operators were directed to do the
>> ‘censorship’. Zuku, Liquid Telecom, China Telecom, etc were left out.
>> I saw a letter from the CA (I can’t attest to its authenticity) that
>> purportedly gave this directive. I think in such a case where the govt is
>> open about the censorship, it should not be an issue, no?
>>
>> [image: 686053e3-b435-4c80-89b8-5d249d90344f.jpeg]
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Nov 8, 2024 at 8:45 PM Michael Felix via KICTANet <
>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> It’s been 72hrs and Telegram is not currently available in Kenya unless
>>> you are using a VPN or proxy.
>>>
>>> An article by Kictanet
>>> posts.kictanet.or.ke/tele-gone-telegram-down-is-it-an-internet-shutdown/ noted
>>> this same time last year.
>>>
>>> Is it a coincidence?
>>>
>>> Some say it’s to STOP exam cheating, others say it’s a show of the
>>> government’s mighty power.
>>>
>>> Partinet questions were asked on the article but since we did not get
>>> answers, it is back. No consequences. But I ask the same questions again.
>>>
>>> “After Telegram, what else will be shut down? What will be the next
>>> excuse?
>>> What direction do we want to take as a country?”
>>>
>>> What are your thoughts?
>>> —
>>> *Thank you.*
>>>
>>> *Regards*
>>>
>>> *Michael Felix*
>>>
>>>