MP to leaders: Leave social media if you can't stand trolls

Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji has criticised a section of leaders in the country for taking it personal whenever they are criticised on social media.

He has advised them to ape former President Uhuru Kenyatta and shut down their social media accounts to avoid online criticism.

Mukunji, however, admitted that attacks on the social media were increasingly becoming toxic with many leaders facing personal attacks. He said he also been a victim of such online attacks.

"Kama kiongozi yeyote anasikia social media imemlemea, funga hiyo account, hakuna mtu atajua...wewe wachana na social media" he said.

(If any leader feels overwhelmed by social media, shut your account, no one will know. Leave social media)

He said retired President Uhuru took the same root and opted to leave social media after being a victim of such online attacks during his reign.

"When the former President found it intolerable to look at his social media, he left social media," he said.

Debate around abductions has become a daily topic with people linking the alleged abduction of some social media influencers to their social media posts which were deemed offensive to some leaders.

Police have denied involvement and advised parents and families whose loved ones are missing to file a report with them to facilitate investigations.

Mukunji said parents should not continue to suffer in search of their missing children who are believed to have been abducted over their social posts against some leaders.

According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, seven individuals have been abducted in December alone with one of them having been found.

The other six who are still missing are said to have been abducted between December 17-25.

They are Steve Mbisi from Machakos, Billy Mwangi (Embu), Peter Muteti ( Nairobi), Bernard Kavuli (Nairobi), Gideon Kibet alias Kibet Bull (Nairobi) and Rony Kiplang'at (Kiambu).

They are alleged to have misused their social accounts by posting offensive messages.

A section of leaders have mounted pressure on the police to fully enforce the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Law against those misusing social media.

Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Kimani Ichung'wah noted with concern the rising misuse of computers and digital platforms by the youth.

According to Ichung'wah, the police ought to arrest anyone involved and charge them in court to serve as a lesson to others.

"Arrest them and make it public that you have arrested people and take them before courts of law so that it becomes a deterrent to those who are misusing computers, artificial intelligence, not only to insult (but) do other very uncouth and uncivilized things," he said.

On his part, Minority leader Junet Mohammed said while there is freedom of speech and expression, everyone should do so within the confines of the law.

He said those misusing their digital platforms should be arrested and charged in court.