Cybercrimes law: Jalang’o urges Kenyans to read before criticising
Lang’ata Member of Parliament Phelix Odiwuor, alias Jalang’o, has said many Kenyans rush to criticise new laws before understanding them.
Speaking during an event meant to clarify the recently amended Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Jalang’o admitted that he was once guilty of the same habit before joining Parliament.
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He said that misinformation online often misleads people into attacking laws that have existed for years.
“But the truth is, even I, as a first-time member of parliament I get to learn a lot of things every single day. And I used to sit on this side and everything that I used to do was to criticise even before I read it,” Jalang’o said.
Says misinformation fuels unnecessary panic online
Jalang’o explained that the bill being discussed was not new, but an amendment to a law passed in 2018. He said many people online had already formed opinions based on false claims instead of reading and understanding the content.
“As we speak, this bill is a bill of 2018, meaning ni kitu imekua, what has been done by mheshimiwa from Wajir, ni amendment, yenye ameongezea pale,” he said.
“But ungeona pale mtandaoni vitu watu walishaandika, ilikuwa ohhh gava sai itakua inaingia kwa simu yako, 20 million utapigwa fine…ohh ukitumiwa fare usikule….ukose kuenda…kulikua na story mob.”
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Jalang’o said such misinformation spreads quickly and causes unnecessary public panic, especially when people rely on unverified online sources. He encouraged citizens to take time to read and understand laws before reacting.
“We continue having forums like these again and again so that we can demystify some of these issues that we are having. Hata mimi nilikuwa napinga kila kitu kabla ya kusoma,” he added.
The event where Jalang’o was speaking was organised to clear the air about President William Ruto’s controversial law, which has sparked debate among Kenyans.
The government has since sought to reassure the public that the amendments are meant to protect citizens from cybercrime, not to silence critics or restrict online speech.
In a statement on October 23, 2025, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said, “It is important to note that the new amendments do not curtail freedom of expression or give government agencies unchecked power to silence dissent, as alleged.”
Watch: Government defends Cybercrimes Law, says it won’t limit free speech
Mwaura urged the public to verify information from credible sources, adding that the government welcomes open discussions on laws that affect citizens.
