Kenya Lost Sh4.2B During Crackdown On Telegram To Curb Exams Cheating

A UK-based report from internet organizations discloses that Kenya suffered a loss of over Ksh4.2 billion within eight days due to the government’s interruption of Telegram.

NetBlock and Top10VPN attribute the social media platform outage to the November 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.

The disruptions were part of the government’s strategy to combat exam cheating, with leaked papers often shared on Telegram. Recent concerns in Kenya prompted action, resulting in the detention of six administrators involved in malpractices related to KCSE exams.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), in collaboration with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and the Communications Authority of Kenya, conducted a multi-agency operation leading to the arrests.

The disruptions not only impacted businesses relying on Telegram but also resulted in daily losses of approximately Ksh525 million for Kenyans. Research firms urged Kenya to reconsider such interruptions, emphasizing their adverse effects on the economy and constitutional rights.

In lieu of disruptions, NetBlocks recommended against using network disruptions and social media restrictions to counter exam cheating, citing their disproportionate impact on internet users’ freedom of expression and digital prosperity.

The statement encouraged the government to explore technological solutions to prevent internet shutdowns during exam periods and advocated for engagement with learning institutions to address exam cheating rather than resorting to clampdowns.