Equally, many have questioned the government’s reaction to the creator of the silhouettes and whether he/she has breached any law.
The Principal Secretary for Internal Security, Raymond Omollo, eventually addressed the issue, stating that the government did not plan to take any legal measures against the offender.
During an interview on Citizen TV on Wednesday night, December 11, Omollo disclosed that the government had no plans to find or prosecute the individual responsible for the cartoons.
Instead, the PS explained that the person was utilizing their creative abilities but in a negative manner.
According to Omollo, the government prefers to assist the individual in enhancing their creativity and possibly utilizing it to generate a meaningful income.
“The creativity of Kenyans is impressively remarkable. It showcases the potential of technology. They could explore ways to monetize it that do not involve mockery,” Omollo remarked.
Omollo was replying to a question posed by a viewer of the show who asked about the fate of the creator.
In recent weeks, Kenyans on social media have been entertained by silhouette humor, where the creator crafts art that imitates prominent leaders in the country.
However, what has been particularly noteworthy about the art is the anonymous creator’s intent to portray the leaders in a negative light.
At one point, the government appeared to join the trend when Dennis Itumbi, head of Special Projects and Creative Economy in the Office of the President, countered the silhouettes with his own creations.
In Itumbi’s art, he opts to use silhouettes to highlight the president’s accomplishments.
The Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, allowing Kenyans to freely express their views on social media. Recently, senior government officials, led by Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho, have criticized how these freedoms are exercised, particularly regarding government criticism.
