Videos of alleged bullying and physical assault have spread rapidly across Kenyan social media. They have moved the national debate on bullying beyond classrooms and into the comment sections.
Outrage spills online
One clip shows several women allegedly threatening and assaulting a student, named online as Jahenda, in a public washroom. It drew widespread anger.
On X, Gen Z users began organizing protests. They urged young people to go to a Sunday service at a church on Rabai Road. Protesters said they wanted direct accountability, not written apologies.
"The assault of Jahenda by Riara University students is disgusting," read one commentary on X.
A creator's story
Digital creator Monalisa Wambui says she has faced cyberbullying since 2022. She says it has spilled into her real life, with some girls laughing and joking about her in public.
In a caption on Instagram she said the abuse has affected her relationships. Men, she says, tend to lose interest once they see the online ridicule.
"Who wants to date the popularly bullied creator?"
She says her social life has suffered and the strain has reached her family, and she also noted that the bullies are often women.
In her caption, Monalisa wrote that she depends on content creation fully, calling it a passion and a skill she has been sharpening for almost 10 years. She said that when people leave unkind comments, they should know it affects her only source of income and her general wellbeing.
She also urged fellow creators to stand by one another. She said she once backed another creator, Boina, when she was criticized at a radio station.
"We can't fear men and start fearing each other too."
She ended with a call for justice for Jahenda and all victims of bullying.
Not only a children's issue
Young adults and content creators can become targets when a personal dispute or embarrassing moment goes viral, while cybersecurity experts warn that children face particular risks as they are increasingly exposed to cyberbullying.
Where accountability ends
The debate now centres on a hard question. When an incident is recorded and shared, where does holding perpetrators to account end and cyberbullying begin?
