Building Trust, Security and Inclusion for Kenya’s Digital Future

𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 The Principal Secretary for the State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy, Eng. John Tanui, appeared before the National Assembly's Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation to brief Members on the ongoing review of the Kenya Information and Communications Act (KICA) and the country's progress towards accession to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime.

The engagement, chaired by Hon. John Kiarie, brought together Committee Members including Hon. Umulkher Harun Mohamed, Hon. Bernard Kibor Kitur and Hon. Erastus Kivasu Nzioka. Discussions focused on consumer protection in internet services, the review of KICA and the institutional foundations required to support Kenya's expanding digital economy.

Also present were the Data Commissioner, Ms Immaculate Kassait, and the Chief Executive Officer of the ICT Authority, Mr Jessy Kiveu Maruti, whose institutions are central to data protection and the delivery of government digital services.

PS. Tanui told the Committee that the review of KICA is intended to ensure the country's legal framework keeps pace with competition, innovation, emerging technologies and the changing realities of the ICT sector.

On the Budapest Convention, the Principal Secretary noted that accession would strengthen international cooperation on cybercrime, electronic evidence and cross-border investigations, supported by appropriate data protection measures and national safeguards.

Addressing the Committee's concerns on internet billing, Eng. Tanui affirmed Government support for greater transparency and stronger consumer protection, while preserving consumer choice and digital inclusion.

"Our approach is to strengthen usage information, quality of service, transparency and consumer safeguards without introducing measures that could unintentionally increase costs or limit access," he said. 

The session was also attended by Members of Parliament from the Kingdom of Lesotho, providing an opportunity for regional exchange on how African countries are responding to the opportunities and challenges of digital transformation.

"Our direction is clear: digital transformation requires smart, responsive and future-ready regulation," PS Tanui told the Committee.

He added that Kenya's digital future will depend not only on the infrastructure and technologies the country builds, but also on the strength of the legal, regulatory and institutional foundations that sustain trust, security, inclusion and innovation.