Philip Etale, the Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) Director of Communications, has backed the newly signed Computer Misuse and Cybercrime law despite the huge backlash on the content of the bill.

In a statement on his X page on Saturday, October 25, 2025, Etale stated that many people resisting the bill remain strangers to its content and only jumped onto a bandwagon to reject the law recently assented to by President William Ruto.

Insincere

 “Those opposed to the Law on Computer Misuse and Cybercrime are being insincere or they are just mimicking a chorus that they don’t understand the lyrics,” he said.

According to Etale, the bill has a section that would curb the rampant incidents of cyberbullying and identity theft.

He cited the case of online bullying directed at the late Raila Odinga’s son, Junior, as a wrong that the law would redress.

Cyberbullying

“Kenyans have this peculiar habit of opposing anything and everything without a cause. So when some charlatan starts bullying and making fun about

@Railajunior’s condition, you expect the law not to punish them? When some fool opens a Facebook account in your name and begins extorting money from people, you should just keep quiet, yet it is your reputation that is at risk!

Etale has further warned Kenyans to desist from the blanket condemnation of well-meaning laws and ventures, urging them to take time to read and understand for better judgment.

As a people, we must stop this futilitarian mindset that helps not anyone, nay ourselves. It is perilous to oppose something that you have not read. We must be progressive bwana,”he added.

His condemnation of Kenyans comes after Democratic Party Leader Justin Muturi accused Ruto’s regime of attempting to silence the dissidents through the new law.

“The so-called Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, is not a law against crime. It is a law against courage. It is the latest weapon in a paranoid regime’s arsenal, crafted not to protect citizens but to silence them. It targets not hackers or online fraudsters, but a generation that dares to speak truth to power without permission, without fear, and without a price tag,” he said.

Youth be warned

In a call to action, the United opposition member urged the youth to guard against the state’s new ploy to silence them under the guise of tidying up the digital space.

“To Kenya’s youth: they are not after your phones. They are after your freedom. They do not fear your technology. They fear your awakening. And no law, no jail, no intimidation can bury a generation that has already seen the light,”