NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya has launched a major European Union-funded cybersecurity programme aimed at strengthening national cyber resilience as the country rapidly expands digital public services and critical infrastructure.
The Kenya Cyber Resilience (KCR) Project, a 36-month initiative, was officially launched on Monday under the leadership of the Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications, Steve Isaboke, EBS, representing the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy.
The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France as the lead partner, in collaboration with EstDev.
Speaking at the launch, ICT and Digital Economy Principal Secretary Eng. John Kipchumba Tanui, CBS, said cybersecurity has become a national priority, central to economic growth, public trust and the protection of democratic values.
“Cybersecurity is now critical to Kenya’s economic growth, public trust, and the protection of our democratic values as digital public services and infrastructure continue to expand,” Tanui said.
Aligning Cybersecurity With National Digital Goals
The KCR Project is aligned with Kenya’s National Cybersecurity Strategy and the Digital Master Plan, translating long-term policy ambitions into practical interventions to secure government systems, digital platforms, and citizen data.
Officials said the initiative will focus on strengthening institutional capacity, improving coordination across government agencies, and enhancing preparedness against cyber threats targeting both public and private digital infrastructure.
The project also places strong emphasis on public awareness and inclusion, recognising that cybersecurity risks extend beyond government systems to everyday users of digital services.
Nationwide Cyber Hygiene Campaigns
Under the programme, nationwide cyber hygiene campaigns will be rolled out, targeting women, youth and users of digital public services, groups considered particularly vulnerable to cybercrime, online fraud and data breaches.
An interactive online training and certification platform will support the awareness campaigns, providing structured learning on safe digital practices, data protection, and cyber risk management.
Officials said the platform is designed to improve digital literacy while creating a pipeline of locally trained cybersecurity professionals to support Kenya’s growing digital economy.
International Partnership and Support
The launch was attended by senior representatives from Kenya’s development partners, underscoring strong international backing for the country’s digital transformation agenda.
Among those present were Romain Boyer, Political Counsellor at the French Embassy in Kenya; Jorge Pereiro Piñon, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation in Kenya; and Elisabeth Rivier, Project Manager at Expertise France.
The partners reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Kenya’s efforts to build secure, trusted and inclusive digital systems that can withstand emerging cyber threats.
As Kenya accelerates digitisation across government services, finance, health, education and elections management, officials said the KCR Project will play a critical role in safeguarding national infrastructure and reinforcing public confidence in digital governance.
