Kenya

Kenyan stakeholders are active participants in various internet governance forums and initiatives at the regional and global levels. Kenyan stakeholders participate in the Kenya Internet Governance Forum (KeIGF), the East African Internet Governance Forum and the Africa Internet Governance Forum. Kenya is a member of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

The Kenya National Digital Master Plan 2022-2032 encompasses four pillars aimed at delivering digital services to citizens, businesses, and stakeholders: Digital Infrastructure, Digital Government Services, Product, and Data Management, Digital Skills, Digital Innovation, Enterprise, and Digital Business.

Kenya launched its National E-Commerce Strategy on 13 December 2023, with the aim of fortifying its position as a digital frontrunner in Africa and fostering inclusive growth. This strategy, anchored on four pillars, focuses on overhauling legal and regulatory frameworks, optimising payment accessibility, refining trade logistics for seamless e-commerce fulfilment, and upholding standards for data privacy, protection, and consumer rights.

The National Cybersecurity Strategy 2022-2027 serves as a comprehensive plan to confront emerging challenges and threats in the cyber realm. Aligned with the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2018, it coordinates efforts across multiple agencies to detect, prohibit, prevent, respond to, investigate, and prosecute cybercrime. The strategy is built upon six key pillars, including establishing governance structures, implementing robust policy and legal frameworks, safeguarding critical information infrastructure, nurturing a skilled cybersecurity workforce, advancing capabilities, reducing crime and incidents, and promoting cooperation and collaboration. It represents a collective call to action for all stakeholders to fulfil their responsibilities in ensuring a safe and trusted cyberspace for the benefit of Kenya and its people.

Kenya does not currently have a stand-alone national AI strategy or regulatory framework. Instead, it relies on existing laws like the Data Protection Act (DPA) of 2019 to address issues related to AI and digital technologies

Kenya’s government started exploring the potential of AI in 2018 when it created the Distributed Ledgers Technology and AI Task Force to develop a roadmap for how the country can take full advantage of these technologies. The report the task force published in 2019 notes that AI and other frontier technologies can increase national competitiveness and accelerate the rate of innovation, ‘propelling the country forward and positioning [it] as a regional and international leader in the ICT domain’. As actions that could help achieve this goal, the report recommends investments in infrastructure and skills development and the development of ‘effective regulations to balance citizen protection and private sector innovation’.  

The 2022–2032 Digital Master Plan contains extensive references to AI. It starts from acknowledging that ‘AI technologies and capabilities will be the in thing in the next 5–10 years and Kenya cannot afford to be left behind or to be the late laggards’ and sets as an objective the development of an AI master plan to encourage the research, development, and deployment of AI solutions ‘to solve local problems while exporting the same capabilities to other countries’. The plan also envisioned strengthened international partnerships with leading R&D actors in the emerging technologies space, to facilitate technology transfers and attract foreign direct investments. 

The Emerging Digital Technologies for Kenya: exploration and analysis report evaluates the potential of the emerging technological revolution to further boost Kenya’s already notable achievements in ICT adoption and development. Kenya’s government has a robust track record of involvement and prioritization of digital agendas in Africa. The country’s proactive approach to embracing innovation, particularly through collaboration with the private sector, has earned it the nickname ‘Africa’s Silicon Savannah’.

Kenya’s progressive approach to national development is evident in its Big Four Agenda, which aims to bolster food security, affordable housing, manufacturing, and healthcare. This agenda will be further bolstered by leveraging emerging technologies. The report outlines how these technologies can support each agenda item, from utilizing the internet of things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance health coverage to employing Blockchain technology to ensure food sustainability by eliminating counterfeit seeds. It argues that distributed ledgers, particularly Blockchain and AI, have the most potential to be disruptive and transformative among all emerging technologies.