PS Isaboke briefs parliament on new ICT laws as State targets digital regulation overhaul

The Principal Secretary of the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications, Stephen Isaboke, appeared before the Departmental Committee on Communication, Information, and Innovation today to provide a status update on key legislative reforms aimed at transforming Kenya’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) landscape.

The Committee was chaired by Hon. John Kiarie MP, Dagoreti South. At the heart of the briefing was the Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and a proposed legal framework for the National Addressing System – a move seen as central to re-engineering services under the Postal Corporation of Kenya.

The proposed Amendment Bill, which seeks to update the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998, introduces sweeping reforms to reflect technological evolution and new regulatory challenges.

According to PS Isaboke, the Bill is designed to strengthen regulatory compliance, boost enforcement capacity, and align sectoral governance with global best practices and emerging technologies.

Under the new proposals, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) will see an expansion of its regulatory scope to explicitly cover emerging technologies, including social media, blockchain, over-the-top (OTT) services, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT). The CA will also be empowered to develop and enforce regulations related to cyber safety, protection of critical ICT infrastructure, and the governance of such technologies.

The Bill proposes to formally anchor the Kenya Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (KE-CIRT) in law, enhancing structured coordination in the detection, response, and mitigation of cybersecurity incidents. This legal recognition marks a step toward strengthening Kenya’s digital defense mechanisms.

In a nod to Kenya’s growing digital innovation ecosystem, the Bill introduces a new provision, Section 37A, which empowers the CA to issue special authorizations for scientific research, pilot programs, and technology trials. This will form the legal basis for a regulatory sandbox, enabling innovators to test emerging technologies within a controlled environment.

Notably, the scope of market regulation has been widened to cover the entire ICT sector — beyond telecommunications — including digital platforms, and e-commerce. This will give the CA new tools to tackle anti-competitive behavior and ensure a level playing field across the digital economy.

The Bill also introduces regulatory oversight over e-commerce platforms, intending to ensure consumer protection, better data governance, and market fairness in Kenya’s fast-growing online economy.

To enhance revenue recovery, the proposed law authorizes the CA Board to appoint agencies such as the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to recover unpaid regulatory fees and penalties as civil debt, enforceable under existing tax laws.

In a further attempt to enhance digital security, the Bill proposes the use of biometric data for subscriber registration in the telecommunications sector. This is expected to improve identity assurance and curb fraud in mobile and digital services.

If passed, the amendments could significantly reshape Kenya’s digital regulatory framework and fortify the nation’s position as a regional ICT hub.