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Official: Kenya Unlikely to Shut Down Internet During Vote


FILE - A Kenyan woman casts her vote at a mock polling station during a pre-election exhibition in Nairobi, June 12, 2017.
FILE - A Kenyan woman casts her vote at a mock polling station during a pre-election exhibition in Nairobi, June 12, 2017.

A Kenyan official says the government is "unlikely" to shut down the internet during next month's presidential elections.

Communication Authority chief Francis Wangusi said Monday they are not thinking of shutting down the internet but warned that it should not be used to release alternative election results.

He says they are tracking down words that are likely to lead to incitement and violence and whenever they find any they "pull the systems down."

Observers have warned of possible violence around the elections as in the past.

Kenya's government has pushed to set up cybersecurity systems ahead of the vote but has been vague on the systems' capabilities, including for surveillance.

A spokesman for the leading opposition candidate, Raila Odinga, says they fear the systems will be used for election fraud.

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