Kenya’s 2024 Internet Shutdown: An Analysis

On Wed, 26 Jun 2024, 12:24 Mwendwa Kivuva via KICTANet, <
[email protected]> wrote:

> Kenya experienced its first significant internet shutdown on June 25,
> 2024, starting around 5:00 pm and lasting until approximately 12:30 am on
> June 26, 2024. Depending on who you ask, some services are still struggling
> indicating the possibility of more trottling. This shutdown coincided with
> the #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests, which saw unprecedented participation
> from the youth of Kenya.During the Internet shutdown, major networks such
> as Safaricom’s 5G, 4G, and fiber services were affected. Neighboring
> landlocked countries that rely on undersea cables terminating at Kenya’s
> coast, including Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, also experienced connectivity
> issues.Despite prior assurances from the Communications Authority of
> Kenya (CA) <x.com/CA_Kenya/status/1805311316719993274> that there
> would be no internet shutdown, the disruption occurred, raising several
> critical questions.Discussion Points:
>
> 1. Cause of the Shutdown:
> – What were the reasons behind the internet shutdown? Was it a
> deliberate act by the government?
> – How credible are the claims by ISPs like Safaricom
> <x.com/SafaricomPLC/status/1805615681951375595> that the
> disruptions were due to issues with undersea cables?
> 2. Extent and Impact:
> – Which Internet Service Providers (ISPs) were involved in the
> shutdown? Were there differences in the extent of the disruption across
> different ISPs?
> – How did the shutdown affect essential services such as mobile
> payment systems (e.g., M-PESA) and emergency services?
> 3. Authority and Orders:
> – Who gave the orders for the shutdown? Was there any official
> documentation or communication from the government or regulatory bodies?
> – What role did the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) play
> during the shutdown, and how did their actions align with their prior
> statements?
> 4. Technical and Legal Implications:
> – What measurement tools and probes were used by techies to
> understand the extent of the shutdown? What were the findings?
> – How does this shutdown align with Kenya’s constitutional
> guarantees of freedom of expression and access to information?
> 5. Regional Impact:
> – How did the shutdown in Kenya affect neighboring countries that
> rely on its internet infrastructure?
> – What measures can be taken to prevent such widespread disruptions
> in the future?
>
> The internet shutdown in Kenya has significant implications for digital
> rights, economic activities, and regional connectivity. It is crucial to
> conduct a thorough postmortem to understand the causes, impacts, and
> preventive measures to ensure such disruptions do not recur. It is
> important to note that KICTAnet and other partners
> <www.kictanet.or.ke/joint-statement-a-call-against-internet-shutdowns-in-kenya-during-june-2024-demonstrations/> issued
> a statement urging the government to #KeepItOn just a day before the event.
>
>
> Best Regards,
> ______________________
> Mwendwa Kivuva, Nairobi, Kenya
> www.linkedin.com/in/mwendwa-kivuva
>