Why Telegram is Not Working in Kenya

Access to Telegram has been restricted as the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations continue.

In a statement on Monday, November 3, global internet observatory NetBlocks said the app has been deliberately restricted as part of state measures to prevent exam malpractice during the national tests.

"Metrics show that messaging app Telegram has been restricted in Kenya as KCSE school exams are held, following an established pattern of internet censorship measures intended to limit cheating on exam days," NetBlocks said.

Notably, this comes days after the government activated round-the-clock monitoring of social media platforms as part of measures to prevent examination fraud.

Speaking on Wednesday, October 29, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo revealed that a multi-agency team is conducting 24-hour surveillance on social media platforms to curb fake exam leaks and digital fraud.

Omollo confirmed that the government is tracking individuals and pages pretending to share examination information while defrauding unsuspecting parents, teachers, and students.

"We have the team from ICT, of course we are also looking at issues of just the use of social media to try to pretend where people are pretending to be sharing information and even collecting money from unsuspecting whether it's parents, whether it's teachers, whether it's students.

"Where we've found breaches or where we will come across those breaches, we'll be able to act appropriately, but just to give the assurance to all the students and the teachers that the preparations that are in place are good enough to ensure that we don't mess with or interfere with the integrity of the examinations," he stated.

This comes a year after the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) announced a temporary suspension Telegram.

In a letter addressed to Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa, Airtel Managing Director Ashish Malhotra, Telkom CEO Mugo Kibati, and Jamii Telecommunications CEO C.K. Joshua, CA said the messaging App was being used for criminal activities. 

In the letter dated October 31, 2024, CA explained that it had received requests to take down social media channels and forums being used to compromise the integrity of the ongoing exams. 

"It has come to the attention of the Authority that the Telegram platform is being misused to perpetrate criminal activities, including compromising on the integrity of the ongoing national examinations. As a result, various government agencies have reached out to the Authority seeking assistance in taking down social media channels and forums, including Telegram, that are interfering with the integrity of our national examinations.

"Whereas all other social media platforms operating in Kenya have taken steps to address misuse of their platforms, we note with dismay that Telegram Inc. has remained non-responsive and continues to host offending forums and channels in blatant breach of the laws of the land and the general principles of Data Protection and Privacy," part of the statement read. 

CA directed all mobile network operators to suspend the operation of Telegram during the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary School (KCSE) examinations. 

"By this letter, all Mobile Network Operators are hereby directed to use all available mechanisms to suspend the operation of Telegram Inc in the country particularly during the administration of the KCSE examinations from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the morning and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon from Monday to Friday up to until November 22nd, 2024.," the letter concluded.