NEW YORK — Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) is adding a new and dangerous dimension to terrorism, with extremist groups already exploring the technology to expand their operations.
Speaking in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, where he met Natalia Gherman, Executive Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), Mudavadi said AI tools could be exploited to spread propaganda, create deepfakes, automate recruitment campaigns, and enable cybercrimes such as phishing and financial fraud.
“We have been victims and continue to face threats. The technology space is evolving rapidly, and our legal frameworks need continuous review. Even in education, there is a need to introduce basic awareness from an early stage,” he said.
Kenya, Mudavadi stressed, continues to face persistent threats from Al-Shabaab militants, who exploit Somalia’s instability and porous borders to launch cross-border attacks.
These include ambushes, targeted killings, and improvised explosive device (IED) attacks against civilians and security forces.
He noted that extremist groups are increasingly using online platforms to radicalize and recruit young people, a trend worsened by the movement of foreign terrorist fighters across the Horn of Africa.
To counter these threats, Mudavadi outlined Kenya’s multi-pronged approach: the Prevention of Terrorism Act, specialized security units such as the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, intelligence-led border operations, and the National Strategy to Counter Violent Extremism (NSCVE), which empowers county forums to drive prevention and rehabilitation programmes.
Regionally, Kenya continues to engage in joint security mechanisms under IGAD, the African Union, and the Djibouti Code of Conduct.
Nairobi has also invested in counter-IED capabilities, cybersecurity, and intelligence-sharing with international partners.
Mudavadi commended CTED for supporting member states through country assessments, technical assistance, and counter-IED programmes.
He called for deeper CTED engagement in technology transfer, sustainable financing, and greater inclusion of African perspectives in shaping global counter-terrorism policies.
Ms. Gherman, in response, said CTED was ready to conduct a new assessment of Kenya’s counter-terrorism measures—the last one having been done in 2016.
“ICT is a useful tool in counter-terrorism, but in the hands of terrorists, it can be weaponized. It is about time to conduct an assessment for Kenya,” she said.
Mudavadi welcomed the proposal, affirming Kenya’s readiness to cooperate with CTED and international partners to bolster resilience against terrorism and violent extremism.
