Ruto: Signing Cybercrime Law on Raila’s Death Day Was Pure Coincidence

President William Ruto has come out strongly in defense of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2024, insisting that the controversial law is a vital tool in safeguarding Kenyans from digital dangers such as cyberbullying, online scams, and extremist propaganda.

Speaking in Laikipia on Tuesday, Ruto dismissed claims that the law threatens free speech, instead describing it as a moral and national necessity. “Our young people are being harassed; they are being terrorized on social media. We must stop that,” he said, adding that the government will act firmly to protect citizens’ mental and emotional well-being.

The law, which introduces heavy penalties for spreading false information online, has been met with intense backlash from civil society and digital rights activists, who say it opens the door to censorship and state overreach. But Ruto maintained that critics are “misrepresenting facts” and that the law has been in development since 2024.

“We are doing the right thing for Kenya,” he said. “We must protect our young people and the security of our country from those who want to use the digital space to destroy Kenya.”

Addressing criticism over the timing of the signing—which coincided with the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga—Ruto clarified that the process had been scheduled earlier. “I woke up on Wednesday to do my constitutional duty. The signing had already been planned. It was just bad luck that we lost one of our leaders that day,” he said.