The Inaugural ICT Intergovernmental Sector Forum has marked a significant turning point in Kenya’s digital governance landscape, becoming the first sector-specific forum convened following a directive issued during the Pre-Summit meeting ahead of the 12th National and County Governments Coordinating Summit.
The forum establishes ICT as a pace-setter in structured intergovernmental collaboration, signalling a deliberate shift toward coordinated planning, policy alignment and joint implementation between the National and County Governments.
Bringing national and county leadership to the same table
The forum brought together key decision-makers from both levels of government, with the Council of Governors represented under the leadership of the ICT and Knowledge Management Committee Chair, H.E. Wesley Rotich, and the National Government led by the Cabinet Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy, Hon. Eliud Owalo.
The engagement also included regulators, sector agencies and industry stakeholders, creating a platform for open dialogue on shared challenges and opportunities in the rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.
Aligning on priority ICT policy and infrastructure issues
Discussions at the forum focused on critical sector priorities that have long required harmonisation across government levels. These included the development of a unified fibre wayleave framework to ease network deployment across counties, the harmonisation of county ICT licensing fees to reduce regulatory fragmentation, and the designation of communication towers as critical infrastructure to enhance protection and service reliability.
The forum also addressed national cybersecurity and artificial intelligence policy frameworks, underscoring the need for coordinated responses to emerging digital risks and opportunities.
Advancing the Kenya national digital master plan
A key outcome of the forum was renewed alignment around the implementation of the Kenya National Digital Master Plan (2022–2032). By bringing counties into the centre of national digital planning, the forum reinforced the role of devolved governments in driving digital inclusion, service delivery and innovation. This alignment is expected to translate into more coherent rollout of digital infrastructure and services across urban and rural counties alike.
Laying the groundwork for faster rollout and investment
The structured engagement established through the forum lays a strong foundation for faster fibre rollout, more predictable regulatory environments and safer digital infrastructure. By reducing policy uncertainty and regulatory duplication, the forum is expected to unlock increased private sector investment, particularly in underserved and last-mile areas where connectivity gaps remain pronounced.
Opening the door for private sector partnerships
The Council of Governors has welcomed technology companies, internet service providers and digital innovators to partner with County Governments in accelerating last-mile connectivity and delivering inclusive, secure and future-ready digital services.
These partnerships are seen as essential to ensuring that no county is left behind as Kenya advances its digital transformation agenda, positioning ICT as a key enabler of economic growth, service delivery and social inclusion across the country.
