East Africa's digital rights reckoning demands more than infrastructure

The governance of digital rights in East Africa is rapidly crystallising as one of the region’s most urgent tests of democratic resilience and civic inclusion. It is no longer sufficient to tout broadband penetration, smartphone adoption, or paperless government services as indicators of progress. What matters more—and increasingly defines global and investor perceptions—is how rigorously rights are safeguarded in these digital environments. Paradigm Initiative’s Londa 2024 Report cuts through official rhetoric with sharp clarity, showing that while legal frameworks are maturing in some countries, enforcement, transparency, and civic agency remain dangerously uneven.