Kenya govt to act against online agitators says interior minister

Record ID: 905861

  • Title: Kenya govt to act against online agitators says interior minister
  • Date: 9th August 2017
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (AUGUST 9, 2017) (REUTERS) KENYA'S ACTING INTERIOR MINISTER FRED MATIANG'I AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENYA'S ACTING INTERIOR MINISTER, FRED MATIANG'I SAYING: "Let us refrain from any activities that will unduly endanger the security of the country or unduly affect individuals and groups of people. This of course includes our behaviour and our conduct on social media. Because we have seen, you know, very aggressive social media activity, this morning, including claims of riots or claims of unrest, which are not true." MATIANG'I AT NEWS CONFERENCE/ MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENYA'S ACTING INTERIOR MINISTER, FRED MATIANG'I SAYING: "I am not aware of that and of course if there were such disturbance the inspector general of the police would know and he is here and he hasn't told us about any unrest anywhere in the country." MATIANG'I AND STAFF ON STEPS NEAR PODIUM
  • Embargoed: 23rd August 2017 11:44
  • Keywords: Kenyan elections social media massive vote fraud Fred Matiang'i
  • Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
  • City: NAIROBI, KENYA
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016TFO7RB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Kenya's acting interior minister on Wednesday (August 9) threatened to take action against social media users spreading information that might endanger national security while votes are being counted.
    Speaking to reporters, Fred Matiang'i said Kenyans should go about their business as normal, despite concerns of political violence in the wake of opposition leader Raila Odinga's claims of "massive" fraud in the election.
    Earlier in the day, Kenyan police fired tear-gas at a group of 100 chanting Odinga supporters in Kisimu shortly after their political leader claimed fraud had been committed.
    The unarmed men, who had been chanting "No Raila, no peace," quickly scattered. Protesters also burned tyres in a slum area of Nairobi.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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