Gov't steps up cybersecurity, AI governance amid rising digital threats

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Kenya's cybersecurity systems and developing robust governance frameworks for artificial intelligence (AI), citing growing cyber threats as the country's digital economy continues to expand.

Speaking during the opening of the Sixth Annual Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) Conference in Naivasha on Wednesday, Internal Security and National Administration Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo said Kenya's rapid digital transformation has boosted economic growth and improved public service delivery, but has also heightened exposure to cyber risks.

The three-day conference, jointly organised by the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NC4) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), has brought together cybersecurity experts, government agencies, regulators, academia, private sector players and development partners to discuss emerging cybersecurity challenges and opportunities.

Dr. Omollo noted that the government's digital transformation agenda under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda has accelerated the delivery of public services through digital platforms, highlighting the success of the eCitizen platform, which now hosts more than 24,000 government services, serves over 15 million users and processes approximately 500,000 transactions daily.

He warned that as digitisation expands, so does the country's cyber risk landscape.

"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 that citizens depend on every day," said Dr. Omollo.

The PS said the government has strengthened its cybersecurity framework through the 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 added that the regulations require organisations managing critical information infrastructure to identify digital assets, secure systems and continuously monitor threats.

Dr. Omollo also welcomed Parliament's approval of the establishment of the National Cybersecurity Agency, saying the institution will improve national coordination, strengthen resilience and enhance Kenya's preparedness against evolving cyber threats.

On artificial intelligence, the PS said the technology presents immense opportunities but also poses significant risks, including misinformation, online fraud, identity manipulation 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 called on stakeholders to harness AI to strengthen cybersecurity while safeguarding sensitive information, and urged greater investment in local innovation and skills development to enable Kenya to become a producer and exporter of trusted cybersecurity solutions.

"The next generation of cybersecurity solutions should not only be imported into Kenya; they should also be designed, developed and exported from Kenya," Dr. Omollo said.

He urged participants to use the conference to foster collaboration and develop practical recommendations that will strengthen the adoption of internationally recognised information security standards, reaffirming the government's commitment to building a secure and resilient digital ecosystem that supports innovation while protecting citizens, institutions and critical national infrastructure.