KENYA: Huge win for Freedom of Expression Online as Section 29 of KICA declared unconstitutional

[Informer]

Today, 19 April, 2016 Justice Mumbi Ngugi declared that the provisions of Section 29 of Kenya's Information and Communication Act (KICA) are indeed incompatible with the Kenya Constitution on these grounds, declaring them ‘null and void’, in agreement with ARTICLE 19's intervention.

“This judgement is a huge win for freedom of expression in Kenya, and an encouraging step towards respect for human rights, especially online. We have been increasingly concerned by the repressive use of this law against those expressing dissenting opinions online. ARTICLE 19 is pleased to see that this substantial threat to freedom of expression has been recognised by the courts,” said Henry Maina, Director of ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa.

Section 29 of the Kenya Information and Communications Act (KICA), regarding ‘improper use of a licensed telecommunications system,’ has been increasingly used by state officials to target those communicating online. In 2015, a number of social media users were arrested and charged under Section 29, which criminalises publishing information online deemed unlawful by the authorities. The terms of the law are extremely vague, including terms such as ‘grossly offensive’, ‘indecent’, ‘obscene ‘menacing’, ‘causing annoyance’ ‘inconvenience’ or ‘needless anxiety’. The judge today ruled that, as well as being overreaching and broad, this section is in contradiction of Article 33 of the Kenya Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, or impart information or ideas.

ARTICLE 19 welcomes the news that this provision has been declared unconstitutional, and urges the Kenya government to revoke the provisions, fulfilling their obligations to meet international freedom of expression standards, as well as the standards set by the Kenya Constitution itself.

The section provides as follows:

A person who by means of a licensed telecommunication system-
a. sends a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character; or
b. sends a message that he knows to be false for purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to another person, commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand shillings, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or to both.​

=> Download full judgement here https://www.article19.org/data/files/medialibrary/38343/Judgment-Petition-No.-149-of-2015-2-1.pdf

 

[Lyamber]

Decisions kama hizo Tanzania zilikua zinaweza tolewa na Marehemu Mwalusanya J, tu mpaka leo hakuna Judge atakaeweza vivaa viatu vyakeeee...

 

[Informer]

Petition against Cybercrime law kwa Tanzania itafanyiwa kazi na jaji anayeelewa umuhimu wa kulinda uhuru wa wananchi?

 

[Lyamber]

Mpaka leo hii Tanzania hakuna judge anaeweza toa hukumu inayyoweza favour public interest...ni huyo niliemtaja tu alikua anaweza kufanya hivyoooo..wengine wote wanatoa hukumu ambazo kimsingi ni politically motivated...

 

[SON OF THE LAND]

they are kenyan were Tanzanian hatuwezi kua wakenya waht they do its their business, sisi kama Tanzania tutafanya na kutunga sheria tutakvyo sisi kama kuna mapungufu tutarekebisha the way we want it not kama kenya. tujiamini TZ tuko vizuri sana tu dont worry.

 

[chuwaalbert]

.....Today, 19 April, 2016 Justice Mumbi Ngugi declared that the provisions of Section 29 of Kenya's Information and Communication Act (KICA) are indeed incompatible with the Kenya Constitution on these grounds, declaring them ‘null and void’, in agreement with ARTICLE 19's intervention.....

Gikonyo na Mumbi...Ngugi Wa Thiong'o.... in A Grain of Wheat...

 

[descarte]

they are kenyan were Tanzanian hatuwezi kua wakenya waht they do its their business, sisi kama Tanzania tutafanya na kutunga sheria tutakvyo sisi kama kuna mapungufu tutarekebisha the way we want it not kama kenya. tujiamini TZ tuko vizuri sana tu dont worry.

This is the issue of Human right sio kwamba sisi ni watanzania basi tufanye tuonavyo. Watu wanachosema ni kwamba Tanzania must be consistent with its documents.

 

[falcon mombasa]

they are kenyan were Tanzanian hatuwezi kua wakenya waht they do its their business, sisi kama Tanzania tutafanya na kutunga sheria tutakvyo sisi kama kuna mapungufu tutarekebisha the way we want it not kama kenya. tujiamini TZ tuko vizuri sana tu dont worry.

Yaani wewe ndio lofa la mwisho

 

[SON OF THE LAND]

Yaani wewe ndio lofa la mwisho

ukikua utaelewa namaanisha nini, na akili yako itakapofunguka kujua unataka nini.

 

[Fortilo]

Kenya wana akili Sana ....sisi njaa na unafiki vitatumaliza

 

[SON OF THE LAND]

Tunatengeneza sheria kutokana na mahitaji yetu kama nchi, na pale ambapo tunaona pamepwaya au pana mapungufu tunafanya Amendment quickly life goes on lakini tukianza kusema human right hivi kweli kuna sheria mbaya Tanzania kiasi cha kuamini its against human right, sawa tuna visheria vyetu ambavyo vinammapungufu ya hapa na pale ambayo by our intellectuals we can correct it.

 

[Mag3]

Decisions kama hizo Tanzania zilikua zinaweza tolewa na Marehemu Mwalusanya J, tu mpaka leo hakuna Judge atakaeweza vivaa viatu vyakeeee...

Aliwahi kuwepo na mwingine akiitwa Mh. Jaji kahwa Lugakingira (RIP)

they are kenyan were Tanzanian hatuwezi kua wakenya waht they do its their business, sisi kama Tanzania tutafanya na kutunga sheria tutakvyo sisi kama kuna mapungufu tutarekebisha the way we want it not kama kenya. tujiamini TZ tuko vizuri sana tu dont worry.

Nadhani uko sawa...kuna kile kinachoeleweka duniani kote kama haki za msingi za binadamu. Bahati mbaya sisi Watanzania hatuko kwenye kundi hilo kama walivyo raia wa mchi zingine. Hivyo hatuhitaji kuwa na kitu kama hicho na Majaji wetu wanalelewa na kuelewa hilo; kwamba tuko tofauti na binadamu wengine.

Ni wapi unaona Katiba ya nchi inavunjwa na viongozi walioapa kuilinda na kuitetea, raia na mahakama wako kimya! SON OF THE LAND naomba usiniombe mifano, utakuwa unazidi tu kudhihirisha tulivyo viumbe tofauti na binadamu wa mataifa mengine. Hatuoni, hatusikii wala hatunusi huo utofauti wetu unavyoturudisha zama za mawe.

 

[Hoshea]

Watu wanabonga tu hapa, kuongea na kusahihisha ukiwa spectator aka judge kazi rahisi sana, mambo kama haya huangalia na hali halisi ya nchi husika, huwezi ruhusu uhuru wa kila kitu, kuna watu wenye chuki za kidini au kabila/ kikanda zikianza ongelewa pasipo sheria flani kuwabana unaiweka nchi hatarini, hii nchi bado ni vulnerable sana.

Lazima kila kitu kiwe na kiasi, msituletee ujuaji wenu hapa, that is Kenya with her people this is bongo with her people and the law is like dat, hutaki nenda mahakamani, ukishindwa hama nchi, nenda kwenye unafuu wa hizo sheria.

 

[Obuma]

they are kenyan were Tanzanian hatuwezi kua wakenya waht they do its their business, sisi kama Tanzania tutafanya na kutunga sheria tutakvyo sisi kama kuna mapungufu tutarekebisha the way we want it not kama kenya. tujiamini TZ tuko vizuri sana tu dont worry.

Mjomba tumia kiswahili lugha ya malkia ni shida hadi kwa mkula sembuse wewe! Unajiabisha angalia unavyoharibu lugha ya malkia! Hii lugha kuiongea au kuweza kuiandika sio kwamba utatambulika umesoma sana mkuu! Jamaa ana Phd ila hii lugha ni majanga na haimanishi hajasoma ila ni kuwa hii lugha sio yetu

 

[Obuma]

Tunatengeneza sheria kutokana na mahitaji yetu kama nchi, na pale ambapo tunaona pamepwaya au pana mapungufu tunafanya Amendment quickly life goes on lakini tukianza kusema human right hivi kweli kuna sheria mbaya Tanzania kiasi cha kuamini its against human right, sawa tuna visheria vyetu ambavyo vinammapungufu ya hapa na pale ambayo by our intellectuals we can correct it.

Unaishi wapi? Wewe haushi Tanzania hata kidogo

 

[nra2303]

Kenya wana akili Sana ....sisi njaa na unafiki vitatumaliza

Nina mashaka na uraia wako,eti kenya wana akili sana??? Umekula maharage ya wapi wewe??

 

[MsemajiUkweli]

Uhuru una mipaka na pia haki za msingi za binadamu ni eneo ambalo linakinzana mipaka yake pamoja na kwamba tunaambiwa kuna haki za msingi za binadamu 30 kama ilivyoainishwa kwenye Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948.

Kenya haiwezi kuwa mfano kwa Tanzania katika mipaka ya haki za binadamu.

Tuna utamaduni wetu ambao unanyambulisha haki zetu kama Watanzania.

 

[Mag3]

Watu wanabonga tu hapa, kuongea na kusahihisha ukiwa spectator aka judge kazi rahisi sana, mambo kama haya huangalia na hali halisi ya nchi husika,

Kwanza sijui huyo spectator na judge wanahusishwa vipi hapa, hebu fafanua ueleweke. Pili, unaposema kuangalia hali halisi ya nchi husika, una maana gani? Hebu tuambie Tanzania hapa hali ikoje mpaka haki za msingi za binadamu ziminywe?

huwezi ruhusu uhuru wa kila kitu, kuna watu wenye chuki za kidini au kabila/ kikanda

Nani naongelea uhuru wa kila kitu, mathalan mimi sijasikia uhuru unaoruhusu ufisadi! Hilo moja lakini unapodai kuna watu wenye chuki za kidini, je hao watu wanapatikana nchini kwetu tu? Je watu wenye chuki za kikabila wanapatikana Tanzania tu? Na vipi wenye chuki za kikanda, walihamishiwa tanzania tu? Na mwisho je Tanzania ni kisiwa cha peke yake?

zikianza ongelewa pasipo sheria flani kuwabana unaiweka nchi hatarini, hii nchi bado ni vulnerable sana.

Kama uhuru wa maoni au habari una hatari kama unavyodai, kwa nini Katiba, sheria mama, imeruhusu? Kwamba nchi yetu bado ni vulnerable, hapa unailinganisha na nchi gani? Tanzania ni mojawapo katika nchi zilizopata uhuru zaidi ya nusu karne iliyopita, je ni lini itaacha kuwa vulnerable kiasi sha kuwapa uhuru wananchi wake Katiba inavyotaka?

Lazima kila kitu kiwe na kiasi, msituletee ujuaji wenu hapa, that is Kenya with her people

Mpaka sasa kuwanyima wananchi uhuru wa kuongea na kutoa maoni kumetusaida nini Tanzania nchi iliyojaaliwa kila aina ya neema toka tupate uhuru? Hapa dunia ilipofikia kitechnolojia, utandawazi ni chombo muhimu sana katika kupashana habari, kwa nini viongozi wetu wanakosa hekima ya kutambua hili?

this is bongo with her people and the law is like dat, hutaki nenda mahakamani, ukishindwa hama nchi, nenda kwenye unafuu wa hizo sheria.
Hoshea, hapa kwa kweli unaonesha kiwango cha juu sana cha kushupaa, unahitaji matibabu.

Kuna vitu huwezi kuvizuia na unavyozidi kufanya juhudi ya kuvizuia ndio unazidi kuifungulia milango. Kwa ufahamisho kama kuna watu wataihama nchi hii ni hao wanaojaribu kuzuia tsunami kwa mikono, ni akili fupi tu inawatuma bila kujua madhara yake. Kwa Mahakama ni swala la muda tu, wakiendelea kuwa visiki, imekula kwao majaji...watasombwa na maji.

 

[Msengapavi]

ukikua utaelewa namaanisha nini, na akili yako itakapofunguka kujua unataka nini.

Ulofa wako utathibitika zaidi!

 

[Dr Akili]

Sheria ni hizo hizo iwe uko online or offline! Ukinikashifu live, offline or online mambo ni yale yale.