
Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji has called out a segment of leaders in the country for taking social media criticism too personally.
He advised them to follow the example set by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, suggesting that they should consider shutting down their social media accounts to avoid online negativity.
Mukunji acknowledged that social media attacks have become increasingly toxic, with many leaders facing personal insults. He himself has been a victim of such online hostility. “If any leader feels overwhelmed by social media, shut your account; no one will know. Leave social media,” he stated in a recent interview.
He referenced retired President Uhuru, who opted to leave social media after experiencing intolerable criticism during his tenure. “When the former President found it intolerable to look at his social media, he left social media,” Mukunji explained.
The discourse surrounding alleged abductions has escalated, with some linking the disappearances of social media influencers to their posts deemed offensive to certain leaders. The police have denied any involvement in these incidents and have urged families of missing individuals to file reports to facilitate investigations.
Mukunji emphasized that parents should not continue to suffer in search of their missing children, who are believed to have been abducted due to their social media activity. According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, seven individuals have been reported missing in December alone, with only one found. The remaining six disappeared between December 17 and 25 and include Steve Mbisi (Machakos), Billy Mwangi (Embu), Peter Muteti (Nairobi), Bernard Kavuli (Nairobi), Gideon Kibet (Nairobi), and Rony Kiplang’at (Kiambu).
Some leaders are pressuring the police to enforce the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Law against those misusing social media. Leader of Majority in the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung’wah, expressed concern over the rising misuse of digital platforms among the youth. He urged the police to arrest offenders and publicize these actions to deter future misuse.
“Arrest them and make it public that you have arrested people and take them before courts of law so that it becomes a deterrent to those who are misusing computers and artificial intelligence,” Ichung’wah stated.
Similarly, Minority Leader Junet Mohammed emphasized that while freedom of speech is important, it must be exercised within the confines of the law. He called for the arrest and prosecution of those who misuse their digital platforms.