UPDATE 25 Jan 2022 – 16:00 UTC: While this post was true through much of the day today, in the afternoon the protests in Nairobi turned violent and unfortunately Internet connectivity was disrupted. Read our post about the disruption for the latest information. We are keeping this post online to preserve the history of how we thought the day would unfold.
We regularly draw attention to deliberate and mandated Internet shutdowns on Pulse, having tracked 56 across 10 countries this year.
While we shouldn’t need to praise governments for not shutting down the Internet, it is worth noting the Communications Authority of Kenya’s statement yesterday that they do not intend to shut down the Internet in reaction to today’s national protests against the government’s plan to increase taxes.
This proactive approach by the Communications Authority not only helps dispel rumors of certain Internet services being blocked or the Internet being shut down but also strengthens the country’s reputation as a country that recognizes the importance of a resilient Internet for the benefit of its people.
We must also commend the international and local technical and civil society communities, including the Internet Society Kenya Chapter, for issuing joint statements against shutting down the Internet.
This news follows similar decisions and successful advocacy efforts against shutting down the Internet in Togo and Chad ahead of national elections earlier this year. While Kenya has not had a history of shutting down the Internet, both Togo and Chad have.
We look forward to more governments emulating the actions of the Communications Authority of Kenya to reassure all stakeholders about the Internet during times of uncertainty.
Stay up to date with Internet shutdowns via the Pulse Internet Shutdown Tracker. Also, be sure to follow our election shutdown tracker (below) to see which countries are at the greatest risk of Internet shutdowns during their elections this year.
Photo by Tim Mossholder, VIA Pexels