A 24-year-old university student in Kenya, David Mokaya, appeared in court on Thursday after being charged with publishing false information over a social media post falsely suggesting President William Ruto had died.
Mokaya was arrested last year after sharing an image of a funeral procession with the caption, “President William Ruto’s Body leaves Lee Funeral Home.” Authorities say the post was misleading and intended to cause public alarm.
The case, which was swiftly adjourned to July 31, has drawn criticism from human rights groups and Mokaya’s legal team, who argue it is an infringement on free speech.
“This is an attack on freedom of expression,” Mokaya’s lawyer told AFP. “Our client was expressing political satire and criticism, which is not a crime.”
The incident is part of a wider crackdown on dissent in Kenya, following mass protests in 2023 over tax hikes and corruption. Rights groups claim that at least 60 people were killed during the demonstrations, with dozens allegedly abducted by security forces afterward.
In a similar wave of online repression, at least five people were reportedly abducted in December for posting satirical or AI-generated images of President Ruto in a coffin. One of them, political cartoonist Gideon Kibet (known as Kibet Bull), said he would stop posting after being targeted.
Activists blame a covert unit involving intelligence and counter-terrorism agents for the abductions — allegations the government and police have denied.
Earlier this month, President Ruto acknowledged the incidents, saying, “All the people who disappeared or who were abducted… have been brought back to their families,” and assured that such actions would not be repeated.
