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Wednesday 28 September 2011

ALLOWING STATE SPIES TO LEGALLY TAP PHONES: SHOULD KENYA GO THE PATRIOT ACT WAY?



A draft of the National Intelligence Service Act seeks to legally empower state spies in Kenya to listen in on private telephone conversations. Similar to the Patriot Act in America, the aim is to proactively seek to contain crime. 

Human right activists are likely to raise a storm especially given that the Bill of Rights in Kenya's new Constitution safeguards rights to privacy from being infringed, even by state organs.

But there are those who feel that if the proposed surveillance will help keep citizens safe and curtail criminal activities, then that is a greater good, and the intrusion their privacy is a minor detail.

Will the needs of state security override individual's right to privacy in this instance? Opinion is somewhat divided as shown below, from a selection of views by Kenyans.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

A BIG CAPITAL NO.....WHAT IF THE CRIMINALS DECIDE NOT TO USE THE PHONES AND OPERATE MANUALLY....WILL THE STATE MANAGE TO MONITOR APERSON STEALLING IN MY VILLAGE....LET THEM EXPLAIN TO US HOW AND UNDER WHICH CIRCUMSTANCES WILL THE OPERATION APPLY.....EDDY JAMES ...LOKICHOGGIO

Carol said...

ITS NOT PHONES THAT PROMOTE INSECURITY, THE NSIS SHOULD WORK ON OTHER WAYS OF DOING IT TO PREVENT INSECURITY......... OSAMA WAS NOT USING A MOBILE OR EVEN A COMPUTER, UNLESS THEY ALSO SAY THEY'LL BE OPENING MAILS THAT PASS THROUGH POST OFFICE OR EVEN SECURITY FIRMS.......... ITS A NO FOR ME....... CAROL, NAIROBI

Anonymous said...

it wont help them much.. people are bright. if this law comes into force, they wont use phones to organize crime. though it could help a little bit

Anonymous said...

The security system has let us down since time immemorial. Oh grenade at PMs office, Kikambala bombing, US embassy bombing, Kampala Coach Bomb, people killed daily by thugs, drugs peddled everywhere...etc etc. This will promote hatred and enmity. Are they forgetting that they are also ordinary Kenyans with issues similar to others?

Anonymous said...

If i may ask who is going to TAP THEIR phones? Lets be realistic. Nothing in this country even if done for the good produce ends results that can be used for the nations Good. That infringement of Wananchi's Rights. I totally object for the idea.