How Govt KCSE Crackdown on Telegram Made Kenyans Lose Ksh4.2 Billion

A report by UK-based web organisations has revealed that Kenya misplaced over Ksh4.2 billion in eight days following the disruption of Telegram by the federal government.

In response to NetBlock and Top10VPN, the outage that was witnessed on the social media platform was occasioned by the Kenya Certificates of Secondary Schooling (KCSE) examinations which passed off in November 2023.

The disruptions have been reported to have been a part of the authorities’s methods to curb examination dishonest.

Often, leaked examination papers are shared with college students and colleges by means of the platform.

“Current apprehensions in Kenya have highlighted the rising concern across the misuse of social media platforms, notably Telegram, for leaking examination papers. Six directors of assorted Telegram channels have been detained for his or her involvement in malpractices associated to the Kenya Certificates of Secondary Schooling (KCSE) nationwide exams.

“The Directorate of Prison Investigations (DCI), in a coordinated effort with the Kenya Nationwide Examinations Council (KNEC) and the Communications Authority of Kenya, performed a multi-agency operation main to those arrests,” learn the report partly.

Nonetheless, as a result of disruptions, Kenyan companies that depend on the platform have been affected as they might not supply their providers.

In response to the estimates, Kenyans have been dropping round Ksh525 million day by day.

Additional, the analysis companies cautioned Kenya towards such disruption noting that they have been detrimental to the economic system and towards constitutional rights.

“NetBlocks recommends towards using community disruptions and social media restrictions to counter examination dishonest, given their disproportionate influence to web customers together with to their freedom of expression and digital prosperity,” learn the assertion partly.

Alternatively, the federal government was inspired to develop expertise options that counter web shutdowns throughout these durations.

Engagement with studying establishments to curb examination dishonest was additionally advocated for as an alternative choice to the clampdowns.