Censorship – Telegram

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*
>>
>>