2020 and freedom of expression online

Looking back at 2020, it’s clear that government reactions to the pandemic have reduced freedom of expression for people across Eastern Africa. Key challenges include the criminalisation of opinions expressed online, poor accessibility and affordability of the Internet for all, and inadequate privacy and data protection for individuals and communities.

In 2020, the media and other actors began documenting the arrests of bloggers, citizen journalists, and politicians in Kenya and beyond. Names of various individuals, including Idris Sultan, Milton Were, Stella Nyanzi, Valentin Muhirwa and Elizabeth Kebede frequently appeared in newspapers and TV reports for allegedly insulting a political figure, or spreading false information.