Government Pushes Stronger Cybersecurity, AI Rules to Protect Digital Economy
NAIROBI, Kenya- The government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Kenya’s cybersecurity systems and developing governance frameworks for artificial intelligence (AI) as it seeks to protect the country’s expanding digital economy.
Speaking during the opening of the Sixth Annual Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) Conference in Naivasha on Wednesday, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo said Kenya’s rapid digital transformation has increased the need for stronger protection against cyber threats.
The three-day conference, organised by the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NC4) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), has brought together government agencies, cybersecurity experts, regulators, academia, private sector players and development partners to discuss emerging digital security challenges.
Omollo said digital platforms have transformed public service delivery, citing the growth of the eCitizen platform, which now hosts more than 24,000 government services, serves over 15 million users and processes about 500,000 transactions daily.
He noted that while digitisation has improved efficiency, transparency and accountability, it has also expanded Kenya’s exposure to cyber threats.
“National security is no longer confined to traditional security infrastructure. Today, it includes protecting cloud systems, digital payment platforms, telecommunications networks and critical information infrastructure,” Omollo said.
The Principal Secretary highlighted measures already taken by the government, including implementation of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, operationalisation of the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee, and enforcement of the Critical Information Infrastructure Protection and Cybersecurity Management Regulations, 2024.
He also welcomed Parliament’s approval of the establishment of the National Cybersecurity Agency, saying the institution will strengthen national coordination and improve the country’s preparedness against evolving cyber threats.
Omollo warned that advances in artificial intelligence present both opportunities and risks, pointing to the growing use of AI-generated deepfakes, misinformation campaigns, identity manipulation, online fraud and cyber-enabled attacks.
“As technology evolves, we are witnessing the emergence of AI-generated deepfakes, sophisticated misinformation campaigns and new forms of cybercrime that threaten public trust and national security. Our response must evolve just as rapidly,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to harness artificial intelligence to improve cybersecurity while ensuring sensitive information remains protected from misuse.
The Principal Secretary also called for greater investment in local innovation and skills development, saying Kenya should position itself as a developer and exporter of cybersecurity technologies rather than relying solely on imported solutions.
“The next generation of cybersecurity solutions should not only be imported into Kenya; they should also be designed, developed and exported from Kenya,” he said.
The conference is expected to produce policy and technical recommendations aimed at strengthening Kenya’s cybersecurity framework and improving resilience against emerging digital threats.