NAIROBI, Kenya — The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has officially refuted reports published by the Daily Nation newspaper regarding the alleged use of surveillance software to spy on mobile phones and other digital devices.
In an article published on Friday, September 12, the newspaper revealed a report by Citizen Lab, a Canadian internet watchdog, detailing how the DCI allegedly installed FlexiSpy—a commercially available spyware—on the mobile phones of the makers of the BBC Africa documentary “Blood Parliament” shortly after their arrest. The Citizen Lab report raised significant concerns about privacy violations by Kenya’s security agencies through illegal surveillance.
In its response, the DCI dismissed the claims as “false” and “sensational” reports aimed at misinforming the public.
While refuting the allegations, the police unit declined to disclose specific details, citing that the matter is still active in court.
The DCI issued a statement reassuring the public of its commitment to legal and constitutional principles.
“We want to assure the members of the public that the DCI operates strictly within the confines of the law. Our commitment to upholding the rights and privacy of all Kenyans is unwavering, and we do not engage in any activities that compromise these constitutional principles,” the DCI said.
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The recent report adds to a growing list of allegations against Kenya’s security agencies regarding illegal surveillance of government critics. In June 2025, Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja revealed in court how they accessed customer data from the Communications Authority to track blogger Albert Ojwang’, who later died in police custody.
Additionally, during the height of anti-government protests, reports indicated that the DCI used IT experts to track down suspects believed to be fueling the demonstrations.
Further complicating the matter, Canadian-based software developer Mary Maina has filed a lawsuit against the Kenyan government, seeking over Ksh 290 million in compensation for the alleged breach of a contract involving a surveillance system meant to monitor online activities.
Despite these and other reports, the government has remained firm on the legality of the measures it has employed to control online abuse, maintaining that it operates strictly within the law.
