Nairobi: The Head of Public Service and Chief of Staff, Felix Koskei, has called on ICT experts to play a leading role in shaping Kenya's digital transformation agenda by developing robust policies, legal frameworks, and inclusive strategies to ensure effective and ethical use of technology and online systems. Speaking during the Kenya Chapter of the Information Systems, Audit and Control Association (ISACA)'s Annual Conference, Koskei emphasised the critical need for structured approaches to digital governance, underscoring the importance of integrating both certified professionals and self-taught technologists into the formal digital ecosystem.
According to Kenya News Agency, the theme of the conference is 'Anticipating and Leveraging Disruptive Innovations.' Koskei highlighted the need for inclusivity in the digital workforce by supporting those with skills but lacking certification to gain formal recognition. This initiative aims to build a strong and inclusive digital workforce. He reiterated the government's commitment to accelerating digital transformation as a cornerstone of service delivery, revealing that more than 22,000 government services have already been digitized to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accessibility for all citizens.
Koskei further outlined an ambitious connectivity strategy to extend fiber optic infrastructure of 100,000 kilometers across the country in the next three years. This expansion will ensure that all county headquarters, schools, and government institutions have access to high-speed internet, bringing services closer to the people. Additionally, the government has allocated substantial funding to establish Digital Hubs and ICT training programs in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, targeting the digital upskilling of 20 million Kenyans.
ISACA President, Mercy Omolo, emphasised the organisation's active role in legislative and advocacy efforts, particularly in collaboration with the government. She noted that ISACA contributes its technical expertise to various task forces involved in drafting and reviewing legislation and policy frameworks related to emerging technologies. This engagement ensures that new laws are both practical and aligned with global best practices in the digital space.
Omolo highlighted that ISACA is a professional association of technology professionals from different spheres, including cybersecurity, data privacy, IT governance, IT risk management, and IT assurance. The association, comprising over 2,000 members in Kenya, is affiliated with ISACA global and offers training and accreditation in partnership with other industry associations. The current focus is on developing skills in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cloud security, and blockchain fundamentals through partnerships with organisations such as Scratch and Script and collaboration with the Ministry of Education.