Kenya moves to build homegrown cyber defence solutions as new board takes office

Kenya moves to build homegrown cyber defence solutions as new board takes office

The board was inaugurated on Monday, November 2, 2026, by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen at Harambee House in Nairobi, marking a new step in the country's efforts to protect its growing digital infrastructure.

Kenya has moved to strengthen its cyber defence systems following the inauguration of the National Cybersecurity Agency Board, which has been tasked with developing local expertise, research and homegrown solutions to tackle growing digital security threats.

The board was inaugurated on Monday, November 2, 2026, by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen at Harambee House in Nairobi, marking a new step in the country's efforts to protect its growing digital infrastructure.

Speaking during the inauguration, Murkomen challenged the board, led by chairman Dr Martin Koyabe, to prioritise the development of Kenyan talent, invest in research and establish local solutions to address increasingly complex cyber threats.

He called on the agency to work closely with universities and research institutions to build a skilled workforce, noting that the country had young people with the knowledge and ability to strengthen its cybersecurity systems.

“We need to operationalise the cyber security centre of excellence and develop Kenyan talent. Let’s please develop talent, research and indigenous cyber defence solutions,” he said.

The CS also urged the agency to invest in advanced analytics, vulnerability assessments and artificial intelligence-enabled cyber defence capabilities while strengthening the National Cybersecurity Operations Centre's ability to detect, analyse and coordinate responses to threats in real time.

Latest Stories

• Goons, police top list of perpetrators in attacks against Kenyan journalists as violations more than double
• Diwali 2026 fireworks restricted to 7pm–11pm as Joho issues strict safety rules
• Kenya records 92 press freedom violations as KNCHR warns of growing threats to journalists
• High Court orders IG Kanja, DCI boss Amin to explain whereabouts of missing Tanzanian activist Mwaipaya

He said the board should bring together expertise from different government agencies and ministries, warning members against allowing competing institutional interests to interfere with their shared responsibility.

He urged the chairman to use his experience and diplomatic skills to ensure all represented institutions feel included and have an opportunity to contribute, even as some agencies retain their independence while the government considers possible mergers.

Murkomen further called for a cybersecurity framework that protects national interests while respecting constitutional rights.

“We must build a cybersecurity architecture that is proactive rather than reactive, coordinated rather than fragmented, and firmly anchored in the protection of national interest and our constitutional rights,” he said.

Describing the agency as a strategic investment in national security and the sustainability of Kenya's digital transformation, Murkomen said its board had the responsibility of ensuring the institution delivers its mandate with professionalism, technical competence and accountability.

He also urged the board to move quickly in establishing the agency's operational and human resource structures before embarking on recruitment.

Murkomen asked members to organise a two-day board retreat within a week to finalise the necessary human resource instruments, which would then be submitted to the relevant government institutions, including the Commission on Administrative Review and Compensation (CARC), Public Service Commission and Salaries and Remuneration Commission, for approval.

He said the government would engage the institutions to speed up the approval process, allowing the agency to proceed with recruitment.

The CS further warned against depending on seconded officers for long periods, saying the institution needed permanent staff who would fully commit to its responsibilities.

“We would like an institution that starts immediately, and that has a mechanism of public participation that enables you to take in the best brains in the country immediately,” he said.

He said the next two months should be dedicated to putting in place the agency's top management and human resource structures ahead of January 2027.

Murkomen also encouraged the board to recruit young Kenyans, saying the cybersecurity sector required people with the technical skills to move the institution forward.

He noted that the board should first establish a proper organisational structure and make staff comfortable in their positions rather than rushing into recruitment before putting the necessary systems in place.

On resources, Murkomen said the government would work to ensure the agency receives the funding and office facilities needed to begin operations. He added that the institution could also attract private sector investment and support from development partners.

The board is the governing body of the newly established autonomous National Cybersecurity Agency, formed under the State Corporations (National Cybersecurity Agency) Order, 2026.

Its membership includes representatives from the Ministry of Interior, National Treasury, ICT Authority, Attorney-General, Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, National Intelligence Service and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.