Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations has pushed back against claims it spied on journalists and activists using surveillance software, dismissing the reports as “false” and “sensational.”
The rebuttal followed a story in the Daily Nation citing findings by Citizen Lab, a Canadian research group that tracks digital surveillance. According to the report, the DCI allegedly installed FlexiSpy, a commercially available spyware, on the phones of journalists who worked on the BBC Africa documentary Blood Parliament shortly after they were arrested.
In a statement issued Friday, the agency firmly denied the accusations. “We want to assure the members of the public that the DCI operates strictly within the confines of the law,” it said. “Our commitment to upholding the rights and privacy of all Kenyans is unwavering, and we do not engage in any activities that compromise these constitutional principles.”
The DCI declined to discuss the matter further, noting that aspects of the case remain before the courts.
Concerns over surveillance in Kenya have been growing. In June, Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja told a court that officers obtained data from the Communications Authority to help trace blogger Albert Ojwang’, who later died in custody. Rights groups said the revelation raised fresh alarms about state overreach.
During anti-government protests earlier this year, reports also surfaced alleging that DCI experts had tracked protesters through digital trails. At the same time, Canadian software developer Mary Maina filed a lawsuit against the Kenyan government, seeking more than 290 million shillings in damages over a collapsed surveillance contract.
Critics argue these incidents highlight a broader pattern of intrusion into private communications. The government, however, insists its monitoring is lawful and designed to protect public order.
Citizen Lab’s report and the DCI’s denial now set the stage for a wider debate: how Kenya balances national security with constitutional rights in an increasingly digital age.
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