Kenya Plans New Police Unit to Spy on You Online, Report Reveals
The Kenyan government is seeking to establish a dedicated digital intelligence unit to monitor and police online activity, a move that has sparked fresh concerns over state surveillance, privacy violations and potential restrictions on freedom of expression.
Details of the plan are contained in the President’s annual report on the state of national security, which was recently tabled in Parliament by President William Ruto. The report outlines proposals for enhanced digital policing, including the creation of rapid response protocols and the development of a legal framework to govern online surveillance and enforcement.
According to the report, the proposed measures are aimed at addressing what the government describes as the growing misuse of social media platforms to mobilise demonstrations, coordinate protests and spread misinformation, propaganda, disinformation and hate speech.
“Going forward, the government intends to enhance law enforcement efforts by introducing suburb-level patrols, establishing a dedicated digital intelligence unit and rapid response protocols, as well as developing legal frameworks for digital policing,” the report states.
It adds: “Further, the exploitation of social and mainstream media played a significant role in mobilising demonstrators, coordinating protests, and propagating misinformation, propaganda, disinformation, and hate speech.”
Expanded digital surveillance powers
The proposed unit would mark a further expansion of state surveillance capabilities, coming just weeks after President Ruto signed into law controversial amendments to Kenya’s cybercrime legislation.
On October 15, the President assented to the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime (Amendment) Act, 2024, which grants broad powers to the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee, a body largely composed of security officials.
Under the amended law, the committee is authorised to direct internet service providers to block access to websites or online applications deemed to promote pornography, terrorism or what the legislation terms “extreme religious and cultic practices”.
Civil liberties groups and digital rights activists have warned that the changes could be used to suppress dissent and curtail online freedoms. Critics argue that the vaguely defined provisions open the door to abuse and arbitrary censorship.
President Ruto, however, has defended the amendments, insisting that the original law was passed in 2018 and that the latest changes are necessary to protect citizens from cyberbullying and online criminal activity.
Record protests and unrest
The security report also paints a stark picture of the scale of unrest experienced in Kenya over the past year. It reveals that 2024 recorded the highest number of protests and riots in more than three decades, with 2,005 demonstration events documented nationwide.
July 2024 alone accounted for 250 demonstrations, the highest monthly total during the period under review, which runs from September 1, 2024, to August 2025.
The protests, many of them led by activists, young people and politicians, were driven by rising living costs, allegations of police brutality and political incitement, according to the report.
“While the right to peaceful assembly is enshrined in the Constitution under Articles 33, 36, and 37, the protest mobilisers disregarded statutory procedures such as the requirement to formally notify the police of planned demonstrations, thus creating security gaps,” President Ruto said.
He added that criminal gangs and hired individuals exploited the situation, infiltrating demonstrations and triggering violence, looting and destruction of property.
Casualties, arrests and damage
The report discloses that police operations during the protests resulted in the deaths of 42 civilians and injuries to 66 others, while 1,732 protesters were arrested across the country.
At the same time, 496 police officers were injured, 179 government vehicles were damaged, and 12 police stations or posts were destroyed. Eight firearms were stolen and four were destroyed.
In addition, 16 government offices, 18 supermarkets, and five banks and microfinance institutions were vandalised, destroyed or looted during the unrest.
Significant violence was recorded during the Saba Saba commemorations and the 2024 Gen Z-led protests, which the report says resulted in deaths, injuries and widespread destruction of property.
Government response and future plans
To contain the unrest, the government strengthened multi-agency coordination, deploying rapid tactical teams and aerial surveillance to improve crowd control and operational efficiency. Security around critical installations, including Parliament, State House and the Supreme Court, was also intensified.
“To effectively handle the violent protests, the government expedited investigations on perpetrators, mobilisers, and facilitators of acts of lawlessness, leading to 1,732 arrests across the country,” the report states.
Authorities also increased media engagement and public communication in an effort to counter misinformation and restore public trust.
President Ruto said the government had pursued political inclusivity and rolled out youth-focused programmes such as Kazi Majuu and Climate Worx, while also commissioning a panel of experts to oversee compensation for victims of demonstrations and public protests.
Despite these measures, the report warns that several challenges continue to undermine government efforts, including political polarisation along ethnic lines, the proliferation of criminal gangs, high youth unemployment, drug and substance abuse, and what it describes as the continued abuse of constitutional freedoms to organise frequent protests.
Looking ahead, President Ruto said the government would prioritise dialogue to address public grievances while enhancing the capacity of security agencies to deploy modern surveillance and intelligence technologies for early threat detection.
He added that law enforcement agencies would receive further training focused on human rights, de-escalation tactics and the use of non-lethal crowd control tools, as the government seeks to reduce reliance on force while maintaining public order.
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Kenya Plans New Police Unit to Spy on You Online, Report Reveals