Film Board boss Ezakiel Mutua speaks tough on pornographic sites

Kenya Film and Classification Board CEO Ezekiel Mutua addressing press on pornographic websites ban debate

EMBU, KENYA: A State official has backed calls to block pornographic sites in the country arguing that they expose inappropriate content to children resulting into moral decadence in the society.

Kenya Film and Classification Board CEO Ezekiel Mutua said the pregnancy crisis that was witnessed in schools during the examination period was as result of children being exposed to inappropriate content because cyberspaces have been opened to everybody where teenagers can access the sites with ease. 

Dr Mutua said the government will not tolerate any content that will impair the moral values of young people whom are expected to be the future leaders.

Speaking during the opening of a workshop for trainers and adjudicators for the Kenya National Drama and Film Festivals 2018/2019 at Kenya School of Government in Embu town, Dr Mutua said closing the pornographic sites will be one of the remedies.

''This readily available inappropriate content in our cyberspaces is what is destroying our kids. The content is destructive and impairs the moral judgment of our kids. We must block them to save our young people,'' said Dr. Mutua.

He said countries such as Singapore and the United Arabs Emirates have blocked pornographic sites and regulated their cyberspaces and no person can access it easily unlike in Kenya where it is readily available to anyone.

He said it is possible to manage and regulate internet and cyberspace without interfering with the rights of adults and protect moral values of young children who are being spoiled by bad content they watch online.

Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) chair George Magoha has also made a case for blocking of pornographic websites in the country.

Magoha said access to pornographic material has contributed to the teenage pregnancy crisis and asked the government to block those sites.