MP ZAHEER JHANDA PROPOSES BILL TO REGULATE INFLUENCERS

Member of Parliament Nyaribari Chache, Zaheer Jhanda has announced his intention to sponsor a new bill aimed at regulating social media influencers. 

The announcement comes amid growing global concern over the spread of misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms. “I am borrowing a leaf from one of the most advanced nations, China, which has a larger population than ours,” stated MP Jhanda. “We cannot have a country where everyone is an expert. Misinformation and disinformation will become a crisis soon in Kenya if we do not act.”

The proposed bill draws direct inspiration from recent rules introduced in China, where influencers covering sensitive professional topics including medical advice, financial guidance, legal opinions and education commentary to operate under a tighter regulatory framework. On Chinese platforms like Douyin and Weibo, influencers must now provide verifiable qualifications, and the platforms themselves are legally obligated to verify and record these credentials.

MP Jhanda’s bill aims to establish a similar structure in Kenya. Under the proposed law, influencers seeking to create content on professional subjects would need to be accredited by recognised professional bodies such as the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), and others.

“I am equally going to sponsor a bill to regulate influencers. They must have degrees to talk about professional topics. We cannot have a country where everyone is an expert..”