National Building Code 2024: Revolutionising Kenya’s construction sector for world-class digital infrastructure and economic growth.

In a landmark move set to redefine Kenya’s urban landscape, the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development has unveiled the much-anticipated National Building Code 2024. Published in the Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 36 on February 20th, 2024, this comprehensive code is

SAMA hosts President Ruto, Ethiopia’s PM to discuss Kenya’s digital transformation 

On Tuesday this week,  SAMA AI was host to Kenya’s President William Samoei Ruto and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, alongside Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo, Kenya’s Principal State Department Secretary of ICT and the Digital Economy, Eng.

Safeguarding children online: The crucial role of digital literacy education in schools

We live in an era where children can skillfully operate smartphones and tablets even before they can walk, proving that our children are growing up in a digital environment unlike any other. Indeed, with each passing year, technology’s impact on their life grows more powerful,

Safeguarding the digital sphere: The crucial role of content moderation for public interest and consumer protection

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, content moderation has emerged as a critical defence against harmful and inappropriate online content. As the internet becomes an integral part of our lives, the need to ensure a safe and informative online environment becomes paramount. The digital age

Data leaks in AI and policies to minimise the risks

A data leak is when information is exposed to unauthorised people due to internal errors. This is often caused by poor data security and sanitisation, outdated systems, or a lack of employee training. Data leaks could lead to identity theft, data breaches, or ransomware installation.

Corporates, influencers and copyright: Navigating the tide and entrenching a culture of compliance Precedent-setting decision?

If the recent pronunciation by a court in a copyright suit by Hip Hop artiste Hubert Nakitare, alias Nonini, against Japanese company Syinix Electronics Ltd and influencer Brian Mutinda, does not ring alarm bells for corporates and corporate influencers, concerning intellectual property, then what will?

Reawakening the circular economy discourse will edge Kenya toward sustainability

According to the World Bank (2021), Kenya is one of sub-Saharan Africa’s fastest developing economies. The Kenyan economy’s success has been bolstered by a stable macroeconomic environment, high investor confidence, and a resilient services sector. Furthermore, the country is proud of its market-based economy and

Balancing information security and individual freedoms: the debate over information autocracy in the TikTok ban

The rise of TikTok, a popular video-sharing app, has been met with controversy over data security concerns and information autocracy risk. Several governments around the world, including the United States, the EU, Canada, and others, have imposed partial or total bans on TikTok due to

Era of the Metaverse: Potential adoption in Kenya, risks and opportunities

The Metaverse can best be described as an evolution of today’s internet and as something we are deeply immersed in, rather than something we primarily look at. It represents a convergence of digital technology to combine and extend the reach and use of cryptocurrency, artificial

Era of Deepfakes: Risks and the need for protective laws: An Explainer

Deepfakes refer to a form of Artificial Intelligence that is programmed to replace one person’s likeness with another in recorded video. The term “deepfake” comes from the technology called “deep learning,” which is a form of AI. Deep learning algorithms, which teach themselves how to

Starlink prepares ground to enter Kenyan market

SpaceX is aggressively growing Starlink internet satellite coverage throughout the globe. It provides a worldwide broadband network leveraging a low-earth orbit constellation to give high-speed broadband internet with the ability to enter remote and geographically isolated zones where internet access is difficult to achieve.  It

Digitisation of government services: The journey continues

The government’s aim to transition at least 90% of government services online seems closer than ever. 5,000 services are set to be digitised within the next six months. To this end, 300 services have been digitised.  Although it will be difficult to digitise 5,000 services

Cryptocurrency in Kenya

With the collapse of Futures Exchange (FTX), a global cryptocurrency exchange where big firms and individuals had invested a lot of money in, questions have arisen about the safety of investing in the currency. Over four million Kenyans are said to own cryptocurrencies, ranking Kenya

Significant Political Events of the week

On Tuesday, December 13 Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi Jiir was compelled to give an explanation on how he won the hotly contested August 9 polls. On Wednesday, December 14 President William Ruto said that his administration will partner with Google in the digitisation of government

Forecast 2023: Tech innovations to expect in Kenya

Kenya ranks among the top digital and tech economies in Africa. This is as a result of its advancement in the development of large-scale ICT infrastructure, broadband connectivity, and other digital services. Often referred to as Africa’s Silicon Savannah, Kenya is the regional ICT hub

A shot in the arm for digital literacy after Huawei joins ITU

Digital literacy has been the new normal with a bunch of companies and enterprises opening avenues to ensure that their clients and users of their products and services, explore and gain more information about their products and services with ease. This has seen some companies

Global Innovation Index – The Innovation and Startup Strategy- Poised for Doom or Fail?

On October 17, 2022, Mr Kabui Mwangi, an author wrote an article in the Business Daily titled, “Why six Kenyan promising tech start-ups fell in quick succession”. Of the companies he reviewed, it is apparent that start-ups don’t just fail, there could be a great

An overview of Global Digital Compact

There is Global Compact for private sector companies to report on their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes and achievements on Sustainable Development Goals. Then there is Global Digital Compact, an idea whose time has come.  An offshoot from ‘The Common Agenda,’ a 2021 report by the

Mitigating data breach costs

IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2022 offers IT, risk management and security leaders a lens into factors that can increase or help mitigate the rising cost of data breaches. It is a global report comprising data from 17 countries and regions, and 17

 FinTech in Africa Part 2: Current gains and forecast evolution in new countries

According to a McKinsey report, the African financial market which includes both fintech and formal banking was valued at $150 billion as of 2020. The evolution of the market is projected to be centered on 11 important countries that provide a favorable environment for fintechs

Digital transformation: Overview of a study on Kenya’s digital readiness

Kenya ranked 116th out of 193 countries in the UN E-Government Development Index 2020 and has been on a steady journey towards embodying full digital transformation.  In light of the advancements made by the Kenyan government, GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), Estonian Centre for

Hope for digital stakeholders after launch of DCI forensic lab to combat cybercrimes

The war against cybercrime in Kenya went a notch higher following an initiative by the government to curb the surge in the vice.  During the launch of a new DCI national forensic laboratory in Nairobi on Monday, June 13, 2022, President Kenyatta singled out sim

Economic Survey 2022: A look at ICT sector performance during and after the pandemic

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) recently released the Economic Survey 2022, detailing how various sectors and job markets performed and offered insight into the post Covid-19 recovery. Kenya’s economy rebounded in 2021 compared to 2020, with most sectors recording significant improvement. According to

What KRA needs to do before leveraging on digital intelligence to weed out tax evaders

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced the establishment of an advanced forensic laboratory that will provide the authority the capability to access financial data from taxpayers’ computers and mobile phones, in a bid to detect tax evasion and to reduce financial fraud.  The Kenyan

The journey towards developing nuclear energy in Kenya to power a digitised economy

Energy is vital for the economic progress of a country. It has a significant impact on all aspects of development, ranging from environment, social, economic, agriculture, population and livelihood. The COVID-19 pandemic also served to catalyse digitalisation of all aspects of economic activities. . Kenya’s

Future of work: Equipping the next generation with advanced IT skills

Kenya is poised to introduce coding for secondary and primary school students. This is after the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) approved a new syllabus that offers to equip children with coding skills. The rollout of the syllabus in Kenya will be a first

Details of the newly launched National Digital Master Plan expected to accelerate socio-economic growth

Information Communication Technologies are developing so quickly that there is a need to design a way to allow constant growth in the economic system and community. This is why the Cabinet Secretary for ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs, Mr Joe Mucheru,  launched the Kenya National

Barriers to digital foreign trade in Kenya: A US perspective

The 2022 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE) is the 37th version in an annual series that highlights significant foreign barriers to US exports, US foreign direct investment, and US electronic commerce. The NTE Report identifies significant barriers, regardless of whether they

Road to film and broadcast content regulation: KCFB’s proposed co-regulation framework and issues raised

The Kenya Film Classification Board seeks to assess the regulatory framework of the broadcast and Over The Top (OTT) and Video on Demand (VOD) in the country with a view to implement a co-regulation framework in a bid to ease business as well as create

County E-Health Bill, 2021; Achievements and steps made towards digitalising Kenya’s healthcare system

As early as 2005, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognized the potential of e-Health to strengthen health systems and improve quality, safety and access to healthcare. The WHO encouraged member states to take action to incorporate e-Health into health systems and services.  Kenya acknowledged the

Highlights of the Central Bank of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020

In February, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the Treasury announced that they are preparing a law that will cover digital mobile lenders. It was during this period that the CBK Deputy Governor Sheila M’Mbijjewe shared that a suicide incident had been reported to