Martha Karua: TikTok Ban Debate Is About 2027, Not Values

File image of Martha Karua

Martha Karua has said the debate over a potential TikTok ban in Kenya is not about cultural or religious values but rather the 2027 elections and a fear of an engaged citizenry.

Speaking on Tuesday, February 18, 2026, Karua weighed in following parliamentary discussions in which MPs rejected a total ban on TikTok, opting instead for regulation, data localisation, age verification, and stricter content oversight within four months.

Banning TikTok, she said, is less about the app itself and more about controlling how citizens access information ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Banning TikTok is not about ‘values’,” Karua said. “It is about 2027 and the fear of a vigilant citizenry. The power lies in your hands—register to vote and, when the time comes, guard your vote.”

Karua’s comments come in the wake of a parliamentary petition filed in 2023 by Bob Ndolo, Executive Officer of Bridget Connect Consultancy, calling for a ban over alleged exposure of young people to explicit content and threats to cultural norms.

In response, MPs, including Committee Chair Karemba Muchangi and Ruaraka MP Tom Joseph Kajwang’, argued that a ban would infringe on fundamental rights and harm Kenya’s growing digital economy.

They recommended regulations including age verification, localisation of Kenyan user data, digital literacy programs, and enhanced oversight by the Communications Authority of Kenya.

Parliament also directed the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of ICT to collaborate with social media platforms like TikTok to improve content moderation, local infrastructure for data security, and compliance with the Data Protection Act 2019.

Karua emphasised that the push to regulate rather than ban social media reflects a recognition that young people are increasingly using digital platforms for creativity, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement.

“The real issue is not TikTok, but the freedom of our people to access information and engage in civic matters,” she said. “Kenya must empower its citizens, not limit their voices ahead of critical elections.”