Francis Atwoli, secretary general of the Central Organization for Trade Unions (COTU-K), recently got under fire for suggesting the regulation of social media. Atwoli’s comments come against the backdrop of abductions and abrupt arrest of young Kenyans who have been using X.com to criticize the government, especially President Ruto.
Atwoli defended his comments on Labour Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens, asserting that “social media cannot be free for all in Kenya”. He gave examples of regulatory frameworks in China, Dubai, the UK, and the US.
For further context, Atwoli started by indirectly appealing to Kenyans to cease using social media in ways that could cause chaos and anarchy. It is not quite clear why he thinks young people are using social media to wreak havoc – or to take the country to dogs, as he put it.
But these cries, which mostly emanate from the ruling class, have dominated the airwaves since last year’s Gen Z protests that escalated, leading to a breach of Parliament and Supreme Court buildings. The protests were caused by members of parliament’s failure to listen to the citizens to reject the Finance Bill 2024, which included punitive taxes and tax measures.
So why does Atwoli want social media to be regulated, websites and mobile applications that have given young people platforms to air their grievances about the governance of the country? It doesn’t take a lot of effort for one to think that it is an attempt to silence the young people who are advocating for good governance.
I have a problem with some of the countries that Atwoli has highlighted, especially China. President Xi Jinping’s policies have undermined democratic principles, most notably freedom of speech. Censorship and surveillance of people are common in the country.
As a country that has made significant steps in developing our democracy, do we want to look back and adopt a different framework? Essentially, China “regulates” social media to suppress the dissenting opinions of its citizens.
China is a one-party state as a result. No opposition. The Communist Party of China is the only ruling party and holds a monopoly on power over the state.
Dubai’s abuse of human rights is known across the world. Its suppression of women’s rights has been criticized by a plethora of civil rights organizations and other sovereign states. Social media regulation, as is the case in China, has been utilized to silence the critics of the government, helping it to conceal its wrongdoings from the rest of the world.
Generally, the United Kingdom and the United States have established favourable policies that do not suppress freedom of speech. In fact, the policies foster tolerance and divergence of thoughts. This not only strengthens their democracies but also encourages accountability and good governance.
In addition, these countries’ contribution to humanity is enormous, thanks to the freedom that learning institutions – especially higher education – enjoy in scientific research and other disciplines such as economics, psychology, and literature.
A country’s development is anchored on good governance. Good governance in itself cannot be achieved without the rule of law. In Kenya, we ought to strengthen good governance by fostering democratic principles such as freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
The fear that young people may utilize social media to bring the country to ashes should be redirected to ensuring good governance by, for example, fighting corruption. This way, young people would only use social media for entertainment, learning, and enhancing their social cohesion.
The world is evolving, and democratic expression is evolving with it. Public protests are no longer constricted to physical spaces; virtual spaces such as social media provide alternative means to airing out grievances on bad governance, such as the passing of punitive bills, extra-judicial killings, and corruption.
It is paramount that the ruling class demonstrate decorum and respect before demanding the same from the common citizens. Isn’t this common sense? Respect begets respect. Therefore, elected leaders must respect the people who put them in positions of power. But recklessness with words by talking down, abusing, and insulting people invites chaos in democratic societies. It is imperative that leaders practice decorum to command respect from the general public.
I do not condone extreme social media practices such as putting the President in a coffin, using abusive language towards leaders, and celebrating the death of a leader or their relatives. However, in the same breath, I do not condone the government’s unconstitutional acts in dealing with these incidents.
American presidents, including Obama, Trump, and Biden, have received a lot of ridicule on social media, but I have not heard of any of those governments hunting down and abducting the people behind the ridicules.
We must be inspired and emulate countries that value democracy and respect the rule of law.
