Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi has revealed that her most harrowing experience with online bullying came in the aftermath of her son’s death.
Speaking during a morning interview on Citizen TV, Elachi emotionally recounted how she became the target of cruel remarks on social media, particularly from young users, after losing her son in a tragic accident. She noted that while she avoids reading social media posts, the pain deepened when her own family brought disturbing online content to her attention.
“My worst experience was when people talked about my son—someone they didn’t even know. That was the hardest part. Thankfully, I don’t read social media much… but sometimes your own family shows you things, and you’re left wondering how such stories even got out there,” she said.
Elachi also pointed to a more recent episode involving the children of the late Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were, who was shot and killed. She was disturbed by the online conversations that emerged, questioning how such insensitivity affects grieving families.
“Why talk about his kids? What happens when they return to school? Does anyone think about the trauma they face? That was deeply upsetting,” she shared, calling for urgent reforms to Kenya’s social media laws.
The MP criticized the growing trend where people share sensitive information about bereaved families online without consent, turning grief into viral content.
“When a family is mourning and hasn’t asked for attention, why do people feel the need to post about it? Do they ever consider how deeply it might hurt others in the family—especially when it happens so suddenly?” she asked.
She urged lawmakers to address what she called a “social media crisis,” proposing legal changes that would require consent before anyone can post content involving grieving individuals or families.
“We need to change the law. People should not wake up and post about someone’s death without permission. If you want to make a video, get consent. Let me sign something that says I agree. This has to stop,” Elachi insisted.
Her son tragically died in a road accident in March this year. The incident triggered a wave of cruel and insensitive reactions online, particularly on platform X (formerly Twitter), where some users mocked the tragedy and showed little empathy for Elachi during her mourning.
During the National Prayer Breakfast on May 28th, Elachi’s remarks also drew attention. In her prayer, she expressed concern over the state of the country’s youth, citing issues like gambling, rebellion, and exposure to adult content. She lamented that parents have, in many cases, failed to offer the guidance their children need.
“We’ve abandoned our youth to hopelessness and gambling. We’ve failed as parents, and now they’ve turned against us,” she said.
