Covid-19

How Uganda’s Fight Against Covid-19 is Hurting Digital Rights Amidst a Looming Election

By Apolo Kakaire |

The outbreak of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) could not have come at a worse time for Uganda, as the country prepares for what is being referred to as a “scientific election”, where physical rallies are severely restricted, with candidates advised to rely more on the media to canvass support.

Various measures adopted by the government to fight Covid-19 are hampering…

The Internet Has Been a Lifeline in 2020 – But Not for Everyone. Governments Must Act.

News Update |

COVID-19 has shown the internet is not a luxury but a lifeline, and underscored why affordable, meaningful internet access must be a basic human right

2020 has been the year of digital salvation and of digital deprivation. Just as the world has turned to the internet to work from home, keep businesses alive, go to school online and stay connected…

African Civic Tech and COVID-19: Five Emerging Trends

By Melissa Zisengwe |

Africa has a growing civic tech community that focuses on issues such as accountability and transparency, data journalism, citizen participation, and public services monitoring. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, various technologies have been deployed by citizens, civil society organisation, start-ups, private companies, universities and governments to aid the fight against COVID-19.  Specifically, the civic tech community has created several…

Tanzania Tramples Digital Rights in Fight Against Covid-19

CIPESA Writer |

Since the first case of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) was announced in Tanzania on March 16, 2020, the government has been in the spotlight for its handling of the pandemic. It has denied the severity of the pandemic, suspended media houses, and criminalised Covid-19-related speech through enactment and enforcement of repressive regulations. 

In turn, there have been growing concerns…

Jonction sur les Fake News : Les groupes Whatsapp sont les meilleurs vecteurs de propagation

By Amath Diouf |

Covid-19 et Fake News. C’est le thème du séminaire organisé par Jonction, le mardi 29 septembre 2020. Des experts se sont prononcés sur les entraves à la liberté d’expression sur internet en temps de crise sanitaire, notamment sur les mécanismes de vérification de la désinformation.

Selon Emanuel Maurice Dioh, Responsable Internet Sans Frontière Sénégal, “nous devons lutter contre la propagation…

Report: The State of Internet Freedom in Africa 2020

#FIFAfrica20 |

Today, September 29, 2020, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) has released a new report, State of Internet Freedom in Africa 2020. The report focuses on the impact of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) measures adopted by governments to contain its spread on digital rights and freedoms including freedom of expression and information, assembly and…

Three Days of Digital Rights at #FIFAfrica20! One Day Down, Two to Go!

#FIFAfrica20 |

Day Two: Tuesday, 29 September 2020

The seventh edition of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica) kicked off on a high with the first day commemorating the International Day of Universal Access to Information (IDUAI)  on which it coincided. Several sessions recognised access to information as one of the pillars for an inclusive digital society including as an enabler for political engagement,…

The Erosion of Digital Rights in the Fight Against Covid-19 in Kenya

By Victor Kapiyo |

Kenya confirmed its first coronavirus (Covid-19) case on March 12, 2020, and as of August 26, 2020, the country had recorded at least 559 deaths, 32,803 confirmed cases, and 19,055 recoveries, with 429,513 persons tested.

Even before the first case was confirmed in Kenya in February 2020, the government had moved to establish the National Emergency Response Committee on Covid-19…

Tanzania Entrenches Digital Rights Repression Amidst Covid-19 Denialism and a Looming Election

By Edrine Wanyama |

On July 17, 2020, the Tanzania government issued new Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations, 2020 that apply to online content production, hosting and dissemination. The regulations entrench the licencing and taxation of bloggers, online discussion forums, radio and television webcasters, and repress online speech, privacy and access to information.

The passage of the new regulations raises concerns over free…

Covid-19: How Civic Techies Are Stepping Up To Aid The Fight In Africa

By Melissa Zisengwe |

The outbreak of the Covid-19pandemic has seen a number of African civic tech initiatives support efforts to help citizens, governments, businesses and communities respond to the global health crisis that is affecting every part of our lives. Civic tech has enabled government, citizens and companies to track and slow the spread of Covid-19across different African countries.

According to…