The Kenya government has refuted claims that it has signed the “Declaration for the Future of the Internet” as published by the US government on its official website.
Through a statement signed by government spokesperson (rtd) Cyrus Oguna, the Kenya government said that it was going through the declaration and would give its stand on the same in the near future.
“The said declaration is going through review and based on the outcome of the process, Kenya will be able to state her position on the matter.
As such, the listing of Kenya as a signatory is erroneous,“ read the statement.
The statement further notes that Kenya is yet to go through the process and laws that will endorse the declaration, and that the law stipulates that Kenya cannot be signatory to any international treaty without the authorisation by cabinet and later ratification by the National Assembly.
The “Declaration for the Future of the Internet” is a document that emphasises on the decentralisation of the Internet.
With the document, signatories hope that the world will be interconnected by the Internet.
It highlights the key areas that need to be addressed to ensure seamless digital future.
The key areas include but are not limited to open, free, global, interoperable, reliable and secure internet.
The document further tabulates key enablers of the internet such as affordability, net neutrality, and removing illegal content without curtailing free expression.