Journalists critical of the government or opposition, along with social media influencers, would have faced severe surveillance and online harassment had a developer successfully sold a controversial spyware tool to State House operatives.

Mary Maina, through her company Jipe Inc., filed a lawsuit last year against Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, the Attorney General, businessman Jayesh Saini, and President William Ruto’s speechwriter, Eric Kipkoech Ngeno. She is seeking over Sh281 million in compensation.