Cybercrime in Kenya: Myth or reality

Abstract

There is a general feeling that Internet crime is an advanced type of crime that has not yet infiltrated developing countries like Kenya. The major assumption is that Cybercrime is silent and growing and that most Internet users have at one point fallen victim of Cybercrime. The victims suffer in silence, while the perpetrators continually hide under the invisibility of cyber space. The study was aimed at revealing the extent of the crime in Kenya and examined the levels, types, intensity and span of Cybercrime in Kenya. The research questions addressed are; what types of Cybercrimes internet users in Kenya experience, what are the incidences of Cybercrime, what are the specific major cases of Cybercrime that have occurred in Kenya, is Kenya a target of cyber criminals and what measures can be put in place to curb Cybercrime in Kenya. The data for this study was gathered through both primary and secondary sources. These included documented data and survey through questionnaires. The data analysis is both qualitative and quantitative. .. The study found that cybercrime is indeed a major problem in Kenya. Though it is yet to manifest itself in Kenya to the proportions observed in the western world, it is worth noting that incidence of these is likely to go unreported due to lack of confidence in the law enforcers as shown by the research. The conclusion of this study will form the basis of recommendations to ICT policy makers to realise the magnitude of Cybercrime and formulate policy to fight it, and also to Internet users and institutions on steps to take to avoid being victims of Cybercrime.