Why it Matters
While Kenyans have embraced the benefits of social media platforms, there is growing evidence of
big tech harms – like online scams, attacks on women, disinformation on COVID-19, radicalisation
and extremism, hate speech, misogyny and targeting of harmful products. Most of this goes against
the platform’s own terms of service and content moderation policies.
It is time for big tech to be accountable for these harms in Kenya and provide the same level of duty
of care it shows in other markets, just like Europe and the US. Africa deserves the same.
ABOUT US
The Council for Responsible Social Media brings together eminent leaders from different sectors of Kenyan society – from CSOs, data and tech, peace and security, governance, business, health and the media – who will lead the conversation on big tech harms in Kenya so that platforms are held accountable. The aim is to minimize online harms and make platforms safer for all.
Council Members
Irungu Houghton
Irũngũ Houghton has advised and held national governments,
international and continental multi-lateral processes publicly
accountable for the last thirty years. He currently serves as
Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director.
Dr. Shem Ochuodho ( ON SABBATICAL )
Dr. Shem Ochuodho is the Global chairperson of Kenya Diaspora
Alliance and a Senior Policy Advisor for Africa. Currently, Senior
Telecom Advisor, Republic of South Sudan, he has received many
global, regional and national awards in ICT, among them African
Internaut Award from the Commonwealth Telecommunications
Organization (London), Africa Online’s Industry Pioneer, and Computer
Society of Kenya (CSK’s) Father of Internet in Kenya and ICT Hall of
Fame.
Kevin Osido
Kevin Osido is an accomplished Governance Specialist who
serves as the Executive Director of County Governance
Watch (CGW), an NGO whose purpose is to provide
solutions for socio-economic and political development in
the counties of Kenya by educating and building the
capacity of citizens and County Government officers
Leah Kimathi
Currently convening the National Peace Actors Forum bringing together
over forty civil society actors in electoral conflict mitigation in Kenya,
Leah Kimathi is a social activist with a deep interest in issues of
governing the state in Africa, elections, security sector reforms and the
intersection of gender, peace and security. She has a wealth of
experience spanning over 20 years working in various African countries
with both state and non-state organizations.
Christopher Wakube
Christopher Wakube is the Country Director (East Africa) for Equal Access International (EAI) based in Nairobi, Kenya and overseeing EAI work in the region including Ethiopia, Somalia and Tanzania. He is a peacebuilding and project management professional with 20 years' experience working on various projects ranging from Child Protection, Peacebuilding, Elections, Peace and Security, Community Security and Preventing Violent Extremism.
Nerima Wako
Executive Director, Siasa Place (SP), is also the Vice Chairperson of Youth Coordinating Committee Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. Convenor, Youth Serving Organizations Kenya, which is a consortium of 25 youth organisations. Member of the Kenya Eminent Peace Panel (2022) appointed by the National Cohesion and Integration Committee. She is also a member of the UNDP Youth Sounding Board, and the Kingdom of Netherlands Youth Board. Nerima is a writer, a former columnist with ‘The East African’ and 2018 Obama Leaders Fellow.
Evelyne Opondo
Evelyne Opondo is the Africa Director at the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) where she provides leadership for ICRW’s strategies and mission in Africa. She is a skilled strategist, human rights, reproductive justice, and gender equality advocate with over two decades of practical experience. She has in-depth knowledge of the civil society sector, human rights advocacy, organizational leadership, and strategic communications.
Statement by Council for Responsible Social Media
