- Among the posts were images of President Ruto lying on a bed and falsely portrayed as deceased, alongside another image depicting the President on a hospital bed in critical condition. Prosecutors maintain that the information was false and that Mumia knew it to be so at the time of publication.
On October 15, 2025, President William Ruto assented to the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, a law designed to regulate Kenya’s fast‑growing digital space.
It promised to protect citizens and businesses from hacking, fraud, and online harassment, but it also stirred debate about whether criminalizing “false publication” might silence dissent. That tension came into sharp focus months later when detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested Harrison Nyende Mumia, the president of the Atheist Society of Kenya.
Investigators accused him of using a pseudo Facebook account under the name Robinson Kipruto Ngetich to publish false information against state leadership on December 30, 2025.
Among the posts were images of President Ruto lying on a bed and falsely portrayed as deceased, alongside another image depicting the President on a hospital bed in critical condition. Prosecutors maintain that the information was false and that Mumia knew it to be so at the time of publication.
The arrest unfolded on January 2, 2025, at his residence along Kangundo Road, where officers confiscated an HP EliteBook laptop, a Redmi smartphone, and company stamps belonging to Dovty Digital Technologies and the Atheists in Kenya Society.
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Days later, Mumia appeared before the Milimani Law Courts to face four counts of false publication under Section 22(1) of the Act. He pleaded not guilty, but the court imposed strict bail terms: a bond of one million shillings with a contact person, or a cash bail of half a million shillings with two contacts, alongside surrendering his passport. The case is now set for mention on January 19, 2026.
For many observers, the proceedings marked the moment the Cybercrimes Act moved from paper to practice. Supporters saw the case as proof that Kenya was serious about tackling misinformation and protecting digital integrity.
@NickNyash01
Very good let him be taught a lesson
@KoxLevi
I wish Kenyans will learn from this post
@BN55071882
Freedom of speech has limits. Where there's a breach of boundaries, there must be consequences for those purposely stirring anarchy in Kenya.
Critics, however, are warning that prosecuting individuals for online speech risked turning the law into a digital gag tool.
@FredxOtieno
Was it necessary to confiscate items such as company stamps? Or how are they linked to the purported offense? Secondly, why can't you post the information that he is alleged to have published?
@RBryan275
Small question - if the aledged crime was digital, committed using digital and communications equipment, mlikua mnachukua muhuri za kampuni for what? Did the guy stamp his Facebook posts with a company seal?
Kenya’s Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act was first enacted in 2018 to respond to rising cyber threats, digital fraud, and online harassment. It was driven by the country’s ambition to become a regional digital hub, the rapid growth of mobile money, and increasing concerns about misinformation and political manipulation online. The Act has since been amended, most recently in 2025 under President William Ruto, to address emerging risks like AI‑generated disinformation and critical infrastructure protection.
How do you view this development—does the enforcement of the Cybercrimes Act strike the right balance between safeguarding digital integrity and protecting free speech? Share your perspectives in the comments section below.
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