Kenya will face off any cyber crime related attacks once the regulations is adopted
Security agents will be actively engaged in streamlining the cyber space where possible data breaches could happen
The committee on delegated legislation assured to help the NC4 team including Google, Meta to actualize the policy
The Ministry of Interior and National Administration has urged Members of Parliament to consider passing the stringent measures and regulations that will form part of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2023
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation on Tuesday 5th March, Principal Secretary for Interior and Naptional Administration Dr Raymond Omollo said the regulations will address critical cybersecurity isssues including current national security threats in the cyber space and create a secure resilient cyber space against any adversary
“To facilitate actualization of GoK cyber security initiatives, and address the related challenges and threats, the regulations will guide carrying out into effective provisions of the Computer Misuse and CyberCrimes Act [NC4],” Dr Raymond Omollo stated
According to PS, the country has experienced cyber attacks recently, more so being on e-citizen, Kenya Airways, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Bureau of Standards and others all which hold critical national information
“The scrutiny and public participation exercise conducted on the Computer and Cybercrime Regulations, in partnership with key sector players such as Google, X and Meta was a necessary step towards identifying and sealing gaps in the rapidly evolving digital landscape,” he pointed out.
In the documents availed at parliamentary committee, the Ministry is seeking to establish a comprehensive framework for monitoring, detecting and responding to cyber threats within Kenya including creation of cybersecurity operations centres at both national and sectoral levels
“This will foster collaboration with Computer Incident Response Teams [CIRT] for facilitating realtime information sharing and coordinated responses to cyber incidents
Such initiatives promise to bolster the government’s ability to combat organised cybercrimes effectively,” he submitted
The Act also proposes of data sovereignty by mandating that critical information collected within Kenya must be stored domestically, safeguarding against misuse or exploitation by foreign entities
Dr Raymond Omollo told lawmakers that the said regulations will streamline the reporting process for cyber crime related offenses, with the establishment of dedicated cyber crimes desk in every police station
He also called upon members of the public to report cyber incidents promptly so to facilitate swift and effective law enforcement responses
Part of the plugged issues are also growing issues of cryptocurrency which has been unregulated which has been unregulated in Kenya
“By providing a legal framework for it’s oversight and regulations, the government aims to curb illicit activities while promoting safe and responsible use of digital currencies,” part of the documents read
The regulations will serve as a deterrent to cyber crimes such as disruptions of critical systems, data breaches and online fraud, mitigating financial losses and protecting the digital assets of the nation
The committee is chaired by Ainabkoi Member of Parliament Samuel Chepkong’a where the PS led a team of [NC4] to discuss the regulations document and its impact on cybersecurity for the benefit of the country.