Millie Odhiambo, the MP for Suba North, issued a stern warning to individuals who share intimate photos of their partners on social media to shame or humiliate them, particularly if the target is a high-ranking public official.
While speaking during a parliamentary debate on sexual harassment, those who share private photos to humiliate women should face appropriate punishment. And a law should be put in place to prevent such incidents.
She suggested that life imprisonment could be a suitable penalty for perpetrators, as she does not support the death penalty.
I don’t support the death penalty, but if I did, I would support the death penalty for such people, but since I don’t support the death penalty, I think we need to enhance the sentencing to life imprisonment for such people.
“At least if you are not bothered about that person (the victim), have mercy on their children,” Millie said.
The law
In Kenya, by law, it is a crime for someone to leak another person’s digital information online and it is a law passed in 2018 by the retired president Uhuru Kenyatta.
The law under section 31 of the constitution of Kenya which constitutes an offense states;
‘A person who transfers, publishes, or transmits, including making a digital image available for distribution or download via a telecommunications network or by any other means of computer data transfer, an intimate or obscene image of another person commits offense and will be held legally responsible, if convicted by paying a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand shillings or imprisonment not exceeding two years or both.’
Millicent Omanga
This comes days after intimate videos of Cabinet Secretary Millicent Omanga did rounds on social media. Omanga did not confirm whether it was her.
But through her Facebook page, Omanga quoted the Bible where God tells his worshipers that he has given them strength and nothing will hurt them.
“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Luke 10:19. Blessed day peeps,” Omanga wrote.
By Wanjiru Mbaru