Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has inaugurated the new board of the National Cybersecurity Agency as the government moves to strengthen Kenya’s capacity to detect and respond to growing cyber threats.
Murkomen presided over the inauguration ceremony at Harambee House in Nairobi, where he emphasised the need to protect the country’s digital infrastructure amid increasing reliance on technology to deliver public services and support economic growth.
The CS said Kenya had made significant progress in digital transformation, expanding access to government services, improving efficiency and creating new economic opportunities for citizens.
However, he warned that the growing dependence on digital systems had exposed the country to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, making cybersecurity a critical priority for the government.
“Our growing dependence on digital infrastructure, however, exposes us to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats,” Murkomen said, stressing the need to secure the digital foundations supporting the country’s national transformation agenda.
New Board to Strengthen Cybersecurity
The newly inaugurated board, chaired by Martin Koyabe, is expected to play a central role in strengthening Kenya’s cybersecurity framework and protecting critical digital infrastructure.
According to Murkomen, one of the board’s key responsibilities will be building the capacity of the National Cybersecurity Operations Centre to detect, analyse and coordinate responses to cyber threats in real time.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the government’s ability to identify emerging threats, coordinate responses and protect essential digital systems against potential attacks.
Murkomen said Kenya’s cybersecurity framework would remain anchored in protecting national interests while safeguarding the constitutional rights of citizens.
He added that addressing cybersecurity challenges required cooperation across government institutions and the wider society, rather than relying on individual agencies.
The approach is intended to bring together public institutions and other stakeholders in efforts to improve the country's preparedness against evolving cyber risks.
Government Pledges Support
Murkomen pledged the government's support to the new board as it begins implementing its mandate, expressing confidence in its role in securing Kenya’s digital transformation progress.
He wished the board success in carrying out its responsibilities, noting the importance of protecting the systems that increasingly underpin government operations and economic activities.
Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo and other senior officials from the Ministry of Interior attended the inauguration ceremony.
The appointment comes as cybersecurity remains an important consideration for governments expanding digital services, with protecting sensitive information and maintaining the reliability of essential systems becoming increasingly important.