President William Ruto has called on intelligence and security leaders to take a leading role in countering the rising tide of misinformation and disinformation.
He was speaking during his address at the Second Mashariki Cooperation Conference in Naivasha, Nakuru County.
Speaking to over 60 delegates from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, Ruto highlighted the urgent need for coordinated, intelligence-driven action to protect democratic institutions and societal stability from the corrosive effects of false narratives.
Ruto warned that the “surge of misinformation and disinformation,” turbocharged by expanding internet connectivity, poses a grave threat to global security.
“False narratives, fabricated claims, and cynical distortions corrode truth, distort public discourse, and erode democratic institutions,” he said.
When weaponized, he added, social media platforms become “breeding grounds for hate, incitement, radicalization, and insecurity.”
Kenya, he noted, is responding with robust measures: promoting digital literacy, ensuring access to accurate information, upholding transparency in public communication, and safeguarding freedom of expression.
The president urged the intelligence community to adapt and innovate in the face of this challenge, positioning them as “vigilant guardians of the public interest and first responders to threats against national integrity.
He emphasized that strategic intelligence must evolve to detect and dismantle disinformation campaigns, which he described as a transnational risk demanding bold, collective solutions.
“Now, more than ever, we must reinforce our cooperation in intelligence—the bedrock of national, regional, and international peace,” Ruto told the delegates.
Ruto also celebrated the expansion of the conference as a testament to a shared resolve to forge partnerships rooted in trust and action.
While he also touched on climate change and economic integration, his focus on disinformation underscored its outsized role in today’s “complex, uncertain, and disruptive” global landscape.
Ruto called for the conference to mark a “turning point” where intelligence services commit to tackling misinformation with “clarity, unity, and courage.”
He envisioned a united effort to secure Africa’s future, ensuring that the continent’s progress toward peace and prosperity is not undermined by the spread of falsehoods.
“Together, let us build resilience, deepen cooperation, and protect the truth our societies depend on,” he concluded.
