For over two weeks, a section of Kenyans have complained of being unable to access the social media application, Telegram.
Reports alleged that users accessed the social media site through Virtual Private Networks (VPN) as those using data grappled with continuous internet buffering.
Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI), a civil organization, was among concerned parties who sought clarification as to why the app has been intermittently inaccessible ever since the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) linked it to exam malpractices.
The disruption, according to OONI, began two days after six Kenyans were arrested for allegedly selling fake papers through the app.
OONI, in an open letter to the Communications Authority of Kenya, allegedly shows that the application has been in and on and off mode by service providers all through the examination period.
“Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI) platform lamented that the ongoing disruption affecting Telegram was first witnessed around November 8.
Up to the time of submission of the letter to the authority, November 20, the application was still experiencing disruptions.
The civil organization added that the government did not disclose why it was temporarily blocking Telegram and when the blockade would be lifted.
OONI thus gave the government up to November 27 to clear the air over the alleged blockade put on Telegram.
“In accordance with Article 35 of the Constitution of Kenya and the Access to Information Act 2016, we wish to request the following within 7 days,” the organisations stated on November 20.
On Downdetector, 67 per cent of the complaints filed against Telegram in the last 24 hours cited server connection issues, 20 per cent had general issues with the app, and 14 per cent struggled to receive messages.
The complaints peaked between 12 am and 3 am and 12 pm and 3 pm in the last 24 hours.
Downdetector is the world's most popular platform for online service status information, attracting hundreds of millions of users seeking clarity on the status of their internet connection, mobile network, online banking, gaming, entertainment, and other online services.
So far, no government authority, from the Ministries of ICT and Education to the CA, has responded to the civil organisation’s demands.
