NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 1 — The government has stepped up efforts to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity systems and establish responsible governance for artificial intelligence (AI), warning that rapidly evolving digital technologies are creating new threats capable of undermining national security, public trust and the country’s growing digital economy.Speaking during the opening of the Sixth Annual Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) Conference in Naivasha, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo said Kenya’s ambitious digital transformation agenda has significantly improved public service delivery but has also widened the country’s exposure to cyberattacks.The three-day conference, jointly organized by the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NC4) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), has brought together government agencies, regulators, cybersecurity professionals, academia, development partners and private sector stakeholders to deliberate on emerging cyber risks and strategies for strengthening national resilience.PS Omollo said digital platforms have become central to economic growth, government transparency and service delivery under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), making cybersecurity an increasingly important component of national security.He cited the rapid growth 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.“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 Principal Secretary said the government has already taken several steps to strengthen the country’s cyber defences, including implementing the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, operationalizing the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee and enforcing the Critical Information Infrastructure Protection and Cybersecurity Management Regulations, 2024.He noted that the regulations require organizations managing critical information infrastructure to identify and secure digital assets while continuously monitoring potential cyber threats to safeguard essential services.The PS also welcomed Parliament’s recent approval of the establishment of the National Cybersecurity Agency, describing it as a major milestone that will improve national coordination, boost cyber resilience and strengthen Kenya’s preparedness against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.While acknowledging AI’s enormous potential to accelerate innovation and improve cybersecurity capabilities, the Principal Secretary warned that the technology is also introducing complex risks that governments can no longer afford to ignore.He pointed to the growing use of AI-generated deepfakes, misinformation campaigns, identity manipulation and increasingly sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud as emerging threats capable of eroding public confidence and destabilizing critical systems.“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.PS Omollo emphasized that future information security strategies must extend beyond conventional cybersecurity to include effective governance of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.He challenged stakeholders to harness AI as a tool for strengthening cyber resilience while ensuring sensitive information remains protected against unauthorized access, misuse and exploitation.The Principal Secretary also urged greater investment in local innovation, research and digital skills development, arguing that Kenya should aspire to become a regional developer and exporter of trusted cybersecurity technologies rather than relying primarily on imported solutions.“The next generation of cybersecurity solutions should not only be imported into Kenya; they should also be designed, developed and exported from Kenya,” he said.He called on participants to use the conference to forge stronger collaboration between government, industry and academia, share practical knowledge and develop actionable recommendations that will accelerate the adoption of internationally recognized information security standards across both public and private institutions.The conference is expected to produce policy, technical and operational recommendations aimed at strengthening Kenya’s cybersecurity framework, improving protection of critical national infrastructure and enhancing the country’s preparedness against rapidly evolving digital and AI-driven threats.