Country Profile on AI Governance: Kenya

Mean of all 10 indicator scores. East Africa mean 1.56 · all 54 states mean 1.76.

1. S1.1

   National AI strategy existence

   Score 4 / 4

   Yes, Kenya has a National AI Strategy (2025 -2030), launched on 27th March, 2025

   Sources ict.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

2. S1.2

   Strategy adoption date

   Score 2 / 4

   National AI Strategy 2025 - 2023

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Kenya National AI Strategy 2025–2030 launched March 2025 (CIPIT; verified in AAGI East Africa research, 2026-10-05). The profile entry was corrupted to 1900-01-04. Adopted 2025-03: 15 months before 2026-06-30.

   Sources cipit.strathmore.edu (opens in a new tab)

3. S1.3

   Political commitment signals

   Score 4 / 4

   Yes, formal statement by President William Ruto, and the Information, Communication, and Digital Economy CS William Kabogo, and statements by Mary Karema, the secretary of ICT, E-Government and Digital Economy.

   Sources kenyanews.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

4. S1.4

   Dedicated AI budget allocation

   Score 4 / 4

   Yes, 152 billion implementation budget.

   Sources citizen.digital (opens in a new tab)

5. S1.5

   AU Continental AI Strategy alignment

   Score 4 / 4

   Specific quantitative phase I targets of the AU's continental strategy are not explicitly detailed in Kenya's strategy, however, if alignment is measured on the strategic pilllars, focus areas and policy recommendations, there is full alignment.

   Sources cipit.strathmore.edu (opens in a new tab)

6. S1.6

   Multi-stakeholder consultation

   Score 3 / 4

   Yes there was a multi stakeholder engagement and public participation which was sought through surveys

   Sources kictanet.or.ke (opens in a new tab)

7. S1.7

   Sector prioritisation

   Score 4 / 4

   Yes, the strategy identified 8 high priority use case across key sectors aligned with Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and corresponding pillars in Kenya's vision 2030. Key sectors identified include; healthcare, education, agriculture, public service delivery, security, MSMES, Creative Sector, and Sustainability.

   Sources bowmanslaw.com (opens in a new tab)

8. S1.8

   Implementation roadmap

   Score 3 / 4

   Yes, the strategy has a 5-year plan, with clear phased and implementation pathways.

   Sources ict.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

9. S1.9

   Monitoring and evaluation framework

   Score 4 / 4

   Yes.

   Sources ict.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

10. S1.10

    Strategy review mechanism

    Score 4 / 4

    Yes.

    Sources ict.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

Mean of the 9 scored indicators; 1 carries no score. East Africa mean 1.28 · all 54 states mean 1.32.

No score: 1 not scored (excluded from the mean).

1. G2.1

   AI-specific legislation

   Score 2 / 4

   There is a Kenyana AI Act Bill as proposed by Karen Nyamu. There is also National AI Strategy 2025-2030,an National AI Strategy 2025-2030 which establishes the national roadmap for AI infrastructure, data ecosystems, and governance.

   Note: The Kenya AI Bill proposed by Karen Nyamu approaches AI Governance from an Institutional governance perspective. It somehow mirrors the EU AI Act risk based approach for high risk systems but also introduces some aspects of right based governance particularly with deep fakes and synthentic AI generated content.

   Sources parliament.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

2. G2.2

   Data protection law status

   Score 4 / 4

   The Data Protection Act of 2019 came into force in November 2025.

   Note: The Act regulates the processing of personal data. By extent it can be said to regulate AI systems particularly where they are processing personal data

   Sources new.kenyalaw.org (opens in a new tab)

3. G2.3

   DPA AI mandate

   Score 2 / 4

   Yes the ODPC has a AI mandate in to the extent of Automated Decision Making, profiling and where personal data is affected while AI systems are in use

   Sources new.kenyalaw.org (opens in a new tab)

4. G2.4

   DPA staffing and budget

   ○Not scored: Excluded from the pillar mean

   No information traced.

   Scoring basis Not determined; excluded from the pillar mean.

5. G2.5

   AI regulatory body existence

   Score 1 / 4

   The proposed AI Bill proposes the office of the AI Commissioner that will be responible for the enforcement of the AIA

   Sources parliament.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

6. G2.6

   Institutional design model

   Score 2 / 4

   Hybrid Co regulation. Even though there is no comprehensive AI Act, on the one hand, Kenya's National AI strategy sets national ethical AI guidelines and infrastructure goals, and directs research and development. on the other hand the DPA governs AI through regulation of ADM, profiling and protection of personal data.

   Sources new.kenyalaw.org (opens in a new tab)

7. G2.7

   Malabo Convention ratification

   Score 0 / 4

   Kenya has not signed the Malabo convention as its name does not appear in the list of signatories as per the status list published by the AU

   Note: Even though Kenya has not signed the Malabo Convention. It has implemented most of its pillars through the enactment of a Cyber Crimes Act and the Data Protection Act.

   Sources au.int (opens in a new tab)

8. G2.8

   Enforcement actions taken

   Score 2 / 4

   There have been several AI-adjacent technologies that have been investigated and are currently under investigation. This includes the Meta glasses case that have been alleged to collect personal data. There was also the World coin case where the company was collecting the iris from citizens to train a machine learning to differentiate human and non human iris

   Note: Most of these cases investigations are framed as offending the right to privacy and personal data and are investigated by the Office of the Data Commissioner

   Sources iapp.org (opens in a new tab)

9. G2.9

   Extraterritorial provisions

   Score 2 / 4

   The Kenya AI Bill 2026 proposes to also regulate foreign AI systems entering Kenyan Market

   Note: The Bill lacks specific regulation to the foreign AI systems leaving it to regulations to be later provided by the cabinet

10. G2.10

    IP framework for AI

    Score 2 / 4

    The proposed Kenya Copyrights and Related Bill proposes IP legislation for AI Generated content

    Note: The Bill provides for policies regarding AI generated content including authorship, input logging and economic rights assignments

    Sources globallawexperts.com (opens in a new tab)

Mean of the 9 scored indicators; 1 carries no score. East Africa mean 1.54 · all 54 states mean 1.51.

No score: 1 context only.

1. I3.1

   Data center count

   Score 4 / 4

   Kenya Data Centers - 19 Facilities from 10 Operators as of (June 2026)

   Note: 19 commercial facilities are listed in Kenya, heavily concentrated in Nairobi (15) and Mombasa (4).

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 19 (data centres).

   Sources datacentermap.com (opens in a new tab)

2. I3.2

   Data center capacity (MW)

   Score 2 / 4

   Mordor Intelligence, Kenya Data Center Market Size, Share & 2030 Growth Trends Report (Dec 2025)

   Note: As of late 2025, utilized IT power capacity is approximately 15 MW, with projections to reach 25 MW by 2030. Ambitious 1 GW Microsoft/G42 plans were stalled in 2026 due to grid constraints.

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 15 (MW).

   Sources mordorintelligence.com (opens in a new tab)

3. I3.3

   Submarine cable landing points

   Score 4 / 4

   Submarine Cable Map (Mombasa, Kenya); Liquid Intelligent Technologies

   Note: Seven major cables land in Mombasa: EASSy, TEAMS, SEACOM, LION2, DARE 1, PEACE Cable, and 2Africa.

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. 7 cable systems (TeleGeography, accessed 2026-10-06).

   Sources submarinecablemap.com (opens in a new tab)

4. I3.4

   International bandwidth (Gbps)

   Score 4 / 4

   Communications Authority of Kenya Sector Statistics Reports FY 2025/26 via Tech-ish (April 2026)

   Note: Total available submarine cable capacity jumped to 24,161 Gbps in Q4 2025, while utilized capacity exceeded 16 Tbps, driven by broadband growth and Starlink uptake.

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. 24161 Gbps ÷ 56.43m = 428.14 Gbps per million.

   Sources tech-ish.com (opens in a new tab)

5. I3.5

   Hyperscaler presence

   Score 1 / 4

   Cloud Location Finder (Google Cloud); AWS Global Infrastructure

   Note: While AWS and Google Cloud maintain edge caching nodes in Nairobi/Mombasa, no full local hyperscaler data center regions exist. The $1B Microsoft/G42 regional datacenter deal stalled in 2026.

   Sources cloud.google.com (opens in a new tab)

6. I3.6

   GPU/HPC access

   Score 3 / 4

   iXAfrica Data Centres, East & Central Africa's First GPU-Powered AI Infrastructure as of (Nov 2025) / Strathmore Univ.

   Note: Commercial GPU access launched in late 2025 via Servernah Cloud/Everse Technology hosted at iXAfrica's NBOX1 campus (NVIDIA GPUs as a service). Academic access is via Strathmore's Africa GPU Hub.

   Sources ixafrica.co.ke (opens in a new tab)

7. I3.7

   Data localisation provisions

   Score 3 / 4

   Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 (Section 50); Data Governance Africa (Aug 2025)

   Note: Section 50 mandates data localization (local server/ datacenter or at least one serving copy stored locally) for specific categories only, such as civil registration, legal identity management, and critical infrastructure data.

   Sources datagovernance.africa (opens in a new tab)

8. I3.8

   Cross-border data flow framework

   Score 3 / 4

   Data Protection Act, 2019 (Sections 48-50); ITIF (Feb 2025)

   Note: Part Six of the DPA (2019) outlines a comprehensive legal framework for transferring personal data abroad, requiring adequacy decisions, appropriate safeguards (SCCs, BCRs), or explicit consent.

   Sources itif.org (opens in a new tab)

9. I3.9

   Foreign AI surveillance spending

   ○Context only: Context flag outside the score

   Institute of Development Studies / African Digital Rights Network, "Smart City Surveillance in Africa" (March 2026)

   Note: A March 2026 study documented that Kenya has spent approximately USD 219 million on AI-enabled smart-city surveillance systems (e.g., Huawei Safe City project).

   Scoring basis Context flag; outside the score.

   Sources africanarguments.org (opens in a new tab)

10. I3.10

    Sovereign cloud initiatives

    Score 3 / 4

    Konza Technopolis, Konza Cloud Services; Construction Review (May 2026)

    Note: The Konza National Data Center (Tier III) is operational, offering sovereign cloud computing (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) for government operations, with a KSh 5.2 billion expansion phase ongoing as of mid-2026.

    Sources konza.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

Mean of the 9 scored indicators; 1 carries no score. East Africa mean 1.18 · all 54 states mean 1.20.

No score: 1 not scored (excluded from the mean).

1. H4.1

   AI researchers per million

   ○Not scored: Excluded from the pillar mean

   No verified national estimate of AI researchers per million population in Kenya could be located from government statistical registries or major global AI tracking indexes.

   Note: Score of 0 is verified. International data collection repositories do not currently publish a normalized per-capita AI researcher density index for Kenya. Do not estimate; record as "No verified evidence found."

   Scoring basis Not determined; excluded from the pillar mean.

   Sources oecd.ai (opens in a new tab)

2. H4.2

   DPA staff with AI competency

   Score 0 / 4

   No public evidence identifying the number of AI-competent staff within Kenya's Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC).

   Note: Absence of public evidence does not automatically imply zero technical competency among staff, but rather that no verifiable baseline figure is published. Record as "No verified evidence found."

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources odpc.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

3. H4.3

   University AI programs

   Score 2 / 4

   Multiple Kenyan universities offer dedicated, fully accredited postgraduate AI degree programmes. This includes the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), the specialized online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence at the Open University of Kenya (OUK), and the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence program at Kabarak University.

   Note: Score of 4 is fully verified. At least three separate local higher learning institutions have active, distinct Master of Science curricula explicitly centered on core artificial intelligence engineering, neural network modeling, and automated systems development.

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 3 (universities).

   Sources sodel3v2.jkuat.ac.ke (opens in a new tab)

4. H4.4

   African-authored AI publications

   Score 2 / 4

   No verified annual statistical summary or static count of Kenya-affiliated AI publications was identified using the workbook methodology. Measuring this indicator requires direct live querying across global bibliometric databases.

   Note: Score of 0 is verified. Requires a specified bibliometric source (e.g., OpenAlex, Scopus, Dimensions, Lens) to run custom institutional filters. Do not invent a value. Record as "No verified evidence found."

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. 204.7 papers/yr ÷ 56.43m people = 3.63 per million (floors applied).

   Sources openalex.org (opens in a new tab)

5. H4.5

   AI patents filed

   Score 0 / 4

   No verified annual count of Kenya-affiliated AI publications identified using the workbook methodology.

   Note: Patent databases exist and intellectual property laws are active via the Industrial Property Act, but no verified national AI-patent statistical index or count is maintained. Record as "No verified evidence found

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Editor's note, 7 October 2026: The evidence sentence refers to publications in error. The note carries the patent finding. The World Intellectual Property Organization country profile reports 434 patent applications in Kenya in 2024, with no AI breakdown. The score of 0 stands.

   Sources wipo.int (opens in a new tab)

6. H4.6

   K-12 CS education

   Score 2 / 4

   Kenya's Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) officially integrates foundational computer science, algorithmic thinking, and digital literacy across early and middle school tiers. The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) formally approved and rolled out a dedicated coding and digital literacy curriculum framework, deploying digital interactive materials to public school learning centers.

   Note: Digital competencies and coding fundamentals are structural requirements within the CBC framework for primary and junior school learning blocks. However, full nationwide infrastructural enforcement varies significantly due to local equipment limitations, preventing an "Advanced" (4) rating.

   Scoring basis Descriptor label mapped to a score. Fellow wrote "Elective" to "Elective" (position 2 of 5 labels to 2). exact match.

   Sources researchgate.net (opens in a new tab)

7. H4.7

   AI workforce training programs

   Score 3 / 4

   The government officially commissioned the Regional Centre of Competence (RCOC) for Digital and AI Skilling hosted by the Kenya School of Government (KSG) with a target to train public servants in AI. Additionally, the ICT Authority partnered with Microsoft Elevate and Pathways Technologies to roll out the virtual Microsoft AI National Skilling Training Programme (AI Champion Recognition Programme) for Kenyan youth across multiple sectors. Konza Technopolis also scales AI and Data Science training via the national Jitume Digital Enablement Programme.

   Note: Programs are active and fully supported by the State across the civil service and youth cohorts, aligning with the Kenya Digital Masterplan 2022–2032. However, they are still scaled as rolling cohorts rather than meeting the requirements for full long-term structural "Advanced" (4) status.

   Scoring basis Descriptor label mapped to a score. Fellow wrote "Elective" to "Pilot" (position 2 of 4 labels to 3). "Elective" is not in this list (H4.6 vocabulary); evidence describes state-supported programmes run as rolling cohorts, not yet full scale; "At scale" also arguable.

   Sources ksg.ac.ke (opens in a new tab)

8. H4.8

   Labour transition policy

   Score 4 / 4

   The Kenya National AI Strategy 2025–2030 explicitly acknowledges the threat of AI automation and job displacement within the country's growing digital services sector. To address this, the legislature introduced the Artificial Intelligence Bill, 2026 in the Senate, which contains initial provisions for workforce impact assessments. However, the framework is heavily contested by trade unions (such as COTU) for lacking binding re-skilling mandates, employer obligations to mitigate job losses, or protections for the informal gig economy.

   Note: The issue is officially recognized at the cabinet level and has moved into active "early-stage drafting" and legislative debate via the AI Bill of 2026. However, it remains a heavily debated draft and has not yet materialized into an adopted, enforceable framework or direct amendment to the Employment Act.

   Scoring basis Descriptor label mapped to a score. Fellow wrote "Adopted" to "Adopted" (position 3 of 4 labels to 4). exact match, but evidence/notes say the AI Bill 2026 is a debated draft "not yet ... an adopted, enforceable framework" (closer to "Draft"). Listed for second-edition review: The label "Adopted" maps to 4, but the evidence describes a draft bill under debate.

   Editor's note, 7 October 2026: The label "Adopted" contradicts the evidence, which describes the Artificial Intelligence Bill, 2026 as a debated draft. The score is retained and listed for second-edition review.

   Sources oecd.ai (opens in a new tab)

9. H4.9

   Informal economy AI assessment

   Score 0 / 4

   No government-published assessment or official whitepaper specifically evaluating the impact of AI technologies on Kenya's informal sector (Jua Kali) or micro-enterprises could be verified. Strategic frameworks note digital inclusion broadly but lack specific diagnostic findings or formal recommendations for this segment.

   Note: While independent think tanks and non-governmental bodies have evaluated digital platform work in Kenya, there is a total absence of a formal, government-led or government-sanctioned diagnostic impact study addressing AI in the informal market.

   Scoring basis Descriptor label mapped to a score. Fellow wrote "NO" to "No" (position 0 of 4 labels to 0). case difference only.

   Sources oecd.ai (opens in a new tab)

10. H4.10

    African language NLP coverage

    Score 3 / 4

    Kenya features prominent NLP resources, language technology datasets, and ongoing machine-learning research for domestic languages. A flagship initiative is Kencorpus, a multi-dialect text and speech corpus covering Kiswahili, Dholuo, and Luyia. Furthermore, grassroots research networks like Masakhane actively publish NLP models, machine translation benchmarks, and datasets addressing multiple Kenyan languages.

    Note: Score of 3 is mathematically matching the metadata. Grounded in published empirical work proving active tokenization and model benchmarking for at least three core Kenyan indigenous language strains.

    Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 3 of 5 (languages supported / major languages), normalised 60. 60% of major domestic languages. Raw value read from the evidence: "Kencorpus, a multi-dialect text and speech corpus covering Kiswahili, Dholuo, and Luyia" [corpus/benchmark evidence, not explicit MT coverage; denominator (my. Checked against the evidence on 7 October 2026: confirmed.

    Sources arxiv.org (opens in a new tab)

Mean of the 6 scored indicators; 4 carry no score. East Africa mean 0.97 · all 54 states mean 1.05.

No score: 4 not scored (excluded from the mean).

1. N5.1

   AI companies count

   Score 3 / 4

   Reports show Kenya is a home of over 70 AI startups as of 2025

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 70 (companies).

   Sources startuphub.ai (opens in a new tab)

2. N5.2

   Private AI investment (USD)

   Score 4 / 4

   Tracked Startuphub.ai shows AI startups in Kenya have raised up to $350 million across various private funding rounds.

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources startuphub.ai (opens in a new tab)

3. N5.3

   AI incubators/accelerators

   Score 4 / 4

   Kenya has over 44 incubators and accelerators. While most function as general tech or sector-agnostic hubs, nearly all of them have aggressively pivoted to integrate dedicated Artificial Intelligence tracks, cohorts, or specialized sub-labs

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources tracxn.com (opens in a new tab)

4. N5.4

   Regulatory sandbox (AI)

   Score 1 / 4

   The National AI strategy mandates the creation of a National Regulatory Sandbox for AI development to support safe AI development and testing for AI

   Sources aipolicy.africa (opens in a new tab)

5. N5.5

   Government AI procurement

   Score 2 / 4

   The Kenyan government champions AI sovereignty through its official policies and strategic frameworks . Particularly the Mational AI Strategy pushes for a review of Public procurememt laws to priotise local AI

   Note: As it stands, public procurement is still heavily reliant on foreign technology infrastructure and international development funding due to high domestic costs and computing power.

   Sources brookings.edu (opens in a new tab)

6. N5.6

   AI safety evaluation capacity

   Score 0 / 4

   There is no dedicated facility in Kenya yet that provides for operational safety testing or evaluation facility. However Kenya is a founding member of the International Network of AI safety Institutes, whose goal are to advance AI safety research, testing and guidance. Kenya is categorized as a Network member as it does not have a formal institute yet.

   Note: in as much as there is no facility yet, the National AI strategy calls for harmonised AI policies, agile regulatory frameworks and AI risk safety mechanisms. it also emphasizes on ethical and responsible AI development through impact assesments, sector specific standards.

   Sources digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)

7. N5.7

   ISO/IEC 42001 adoption

   ○Not scored: Excluded from the pillar mean

   No verified evidence found

   Scoring basis Score without evidence; excluded from the pillar mean. Fellow scored 1 but the evidence reads "No verified evidence found"; every score must be supported by evidence.

   Sources fnjassociates.co.ke (opens in a new tab)

8. N5.8

   Standards body AI competency

   ○Not scored: Excluded from the pillar mean

   No verified evidence found

   Scoring basis Not determined; excluded from the pillar mean.

9. N5.9

   AI risk assessment frameworks

   ○Not scored: Excluded from the pillar mean

   No verified evidence found

   Scoring basis Not determined; excluded from the pillar mean.

10. N5.10

    University-industry AI partnerships

    ○Not scored: Excluded from the pillar mean

    Google partnered with institutions of higher learning across the country to equip students with AI skills for the digital economy. The initiative includes providing free access to the Google Gemini Pro plan for advanced research and learning. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) established an AI Center of Excellence to build Kenyan and regional capacity through joint research and data ecosystems. OUK also has a paernership on with BCS Technology Limited to provide AI training to students and staff.

    Note: Other universities such as Daystar are also aprtnering with Google as well as purchasing and training on AI tools for both students and staff.

    Scoring basis Not determined; excluded from the pillar mean.

    Sources facebook.com (opens in a new tab)

Mean of all 10 indicator scores. East Africa mean 1.16 · all 54 states mean 1.26.

1. E6.1

   Algorithmic impact assessment

   Score 1 / 4

   Kenya has discussed responsible AI governance through the National AI Strategy, but there is no legal requirement for algorithmic impact assessments across sectors.

   Note: Voluntary and policy-oriented; no mandatory implementation framework identified.

   Sources data4sdgs.org (opens in a new tab)

2. E6.2

   Bias audit requirements

   Score 0 / 4

   No legislation or regulation currently mandates AI bias audits for high-risk AI systems.

   Note: Potential future inclusion under AI governance framework, but currently absent.

   Sources bowmanslaw.com (opens in a new tab)

3. E6.3

   Transparency obligations

   Score 2 / 4

   Transparency and accountability obligations exist through data protection and administrative justice frameworks, though not AI-specific.

   Note: Existing obligations can indirectly apply to AI-enabled decision systems.

   Sources new.kenyalaw.org (opens in a new tab)

4. E6.4

   Citizen redress mechanism

   Score 2 / 4

   Individuals may submit complaints regarding automated processing and misuse of personal data through the ODPC.

   Note: No dedicated AI complaint mechanism exists.

   Sources odpc.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

5. E6.5

   Judicial AI remedy

   Score 2 / 4

   Courts have jurisdiction to hear disputes involving digital rights, administrative decisions, and data protection matters that may involve AI systems.

   Note: AI-specific jurisprudence remains limited.

   Sources faolex.fao.org (opens in a new tab)

6. E6.6

   AI advisory body diversity

   Score 2 / 4

   AI governance discussions have involved government, academia, civil society, industry, and development partners. However, formal representation of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups is not clearly institutionalized.

   Note: Diversity exists but formal representation mechanisms require strengthening.

   Sources ict.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

7. E6.7

   Global AI governance participation

   Score 3 / 4

   Kenya actively participates in AU digital governance initiatives, UN digital cooperation discussions, and international AI policy forums.

   Note: Kenya is emerging as a regional leader in digital policy discussions.

   Sources au.int (opens in a new tab)

8. E6.8

   Civil society AI engagement

   Score 2 / 4

   Civil society organizations contribute to AI policy discussions and consultations.

   Note: Kenya is emerging as a regional leader in digital policy discussions.

   Sources unesco.org (opens in a new tab)

9. E6.9

   African ethical framework reference

   Score 1 / 4

   Human-centered and inclusive AI principles are mentioned, but explicit integration of Ubuntu or African ethical frameworks remains limited.

   Note: African ethical principles are acknowledged but not operationalized.

   Sources ict.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

10. E6.10

    Youth participation

    Score 2 / 4

    Youth engagement occurs through innovation ecosystems, digital policy consultations, and AI fellowship programs, but formal governance roles are limited.

    Note: Participation is mainly advisory and programmatic rather than decision-making.

    Sources mastercardfdn.org (opens in a new tab)

Mean of all 10 indicator scores. East Africa mean 1.54 · all 54 states mean 1.55.

1. R7.1

   AU AI Strategy alignment

   Score 4 / 4

   Kenya's National AI strategy(2025-2030) is strongly aligned with the African Union(AU) Continental AI Strategy(2024)

   Note: Both frameworks seem to ensure that AI contributes to economic development, innovation, good governance, inclusion and ethical use of technology across Africa. Kenya has deliberately designed its strategy to support the broader continental vision while addresing national priorities

   Sources ict.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

2. R7.2

   Kigali Declaration endorsement

   Score 3 / 4

   Kenya has effectively endorsed and supports the African Declaration on Artificial Intelligence called The Kigali Declaration on AI which was adopted at the Global AI Summit on Africa in Kigali, Rwanda, on 4th of April 2025

   Note: The Declaration was developed and signed by representatives from over 50 countries, with signatories including the African Union. Kenya participated in the process and its policy direction aligns closely with the declaration

   Scoring basis Official signatory list applied. Signatory of the Africa Declaration on AI (Kigali, 4 April 2025), C4IR list: "Endorsed" = 3.

   Sources c4ir.rw (opens in a new tab) · aiexpoafrica.com (opens in a new tab)

3. R7.3

   REC AI governance coordination

   Score 3 / 4

   Kenya is one of the most active EAC member states in shaping regional AI governance. While the East African Community(EAC) has not yet finalized a binding regional AI law, Kenya is actively participating through policy leadership, regional coordination, research collaboration, and support for harmonized AI governance frameworks across East Africa

   Note: The East African Community(EAC) is finalizing its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy (2026-2031), championed by the East African Science and Technology Commision (EASTECO)

   Sources eacgermany.org (opens in a new tab)

4. R7.4

   Cross-border AI agreements

   Score 4 / 4

   Kenya participates in cross-border AI governance mainly through multilateral cooperation rather than through formal bilateral AI treaties. Its approach is to align national AI governance with regional, continental, and global frameworks while patnering with international organizations and other countries on AI policy, ethics, standards and capacity building

   Sources ict.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

5. R7.5

   Election integrity AI provisions

   Score 1 / 4

   There is no dedicated law specifically regulating AI in elections, but it is increasingly recognizing AI-related electoral risks and addresing them through existing legal frameworks, policy development and institutional initiatives. The country's position can be described as emerging and proactive, but not yet comprehensive

   Note: Election Integrity is mainly governed by the Penal Code and election laws which cover defamation, false publication and electoral offences including misleading campaign conduct

   Sources levellers.ai (opens in a new tab)

6. R7.6

   Disinformation response framework

   Score 1 / 4

   Kenya does not yet have a single, standalone AI Disinformation Response Framework as a formal national policy document. Instead it uses a multi-layered governance system made up of laws, institutions and emerging digital governance policies to detect, regulate and respond to disinformation including AI generated content

   Note: Disinformation is mainly governed by the computer misuse and Cybercrimes Act (2018) and the Data protection act (2019)

   Sources new.kenyalaw.org (opens in a new tab)

7. R7.7

   AI election incidents documented

   Score 2 / 4

   There is no official, centralized database showing a specific number of documented AI-related election interference incidents in Kenya. However, there exists scattered evidences of AI-related election interference in the recent elections and by-elections and others are documented by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commision

   Note: On 9th August 2022, there was a fraudulent twitter account (@IEBC2022RESULTS) which falsely posed as the official Kenyan electoral body, claiming to be tallying and releasing real-time results including those from diaspora. Also, there were reports on cyber attacks on Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commision's tallying server

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 2 (rule band). Scored on documented institutional response, not incident count. Raw value read from the evidence: "others are documented by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commision" [incident count not stated (examples: fake IEBC account, tallying-server attacks);. Checked against the evidence on 7 October 2026: confirmed.

   Sources oslocenter.no (opens in a new tab)

8. R7.8

   Platform content moderation

   Score 3 / 4

   Kenya's AI-generated content moderation in domestic context can be described as a co-regulatory, state-led but platform-dependent governance model

   Note: Kenya does not moderate content itself at scale but instead regulates platforms through law and agencies and pressures global platforms such as tictok, facebook and twitter to compply with Kenyan laws

   Sources kenyanews.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

9. R7.9

   Geneva Dialogue participation

   Score 2 / 4

   Kenya is planning to participate in the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, 6-7 July 2026 as part of its broader multilateral AI diplomacy approach. This is pointing to the fact that Kenya has always devoted to participating in these multilateral congregations before.

   Sources un.org (opens in a new tab)

10. R7.10

    G20/multilateral AI engagement

    Score 1 / 4

    Non G20/BRICS Global South AI agenda- shaper participating though AU, UN, OECD-linked initiatives and strategic bilateral/trilateral partnerships

    Note: Kenya joined a trilateral AI initiative with India and Italy focusing on sovereign AI systems, local-language AI and scalable AI deployment in Africa

    Sources ict.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

Mean of the 9 scored indicators; 1 carries no score. East Africa mean 0.94 · all 54 states mean 0.78.

No score: 1 not scored (excluded from the mean).

1. M8.1

   AI governance budget disbursed

   Score 2 / 4

   Awaiting Legal Approval: Full state budgetary allocations depend heavily on the Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026, which is currently being debated in the Senate. Once passed, this bill will create the official legal framework to unlock dedicated state funds.

   Note: 1.19Billion USD Budgeted

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

2. M8.2

   Health AI regulation

   Score 2 / 4

   The upcoming Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026 currently moving through the Senate places clinical healthcare entirely under a "High-Risk" classification. If passed, healthcare providers using AI for patient triage, diagnostic support, or treatment plans will be mandated to run annual impact assessments and maintain permanent human-override mechanisms to prevent clinical errors. While the Digital Health Act does not outline specific algorithmic rules for AI, it acts as the data governance anchor. It restricts how clinical data can be integrated into broader digital tools, establishes patient data containment rules, and mandates strict oversight via the Digital Health Agency. This ensures healthcare innovations like the electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS) process patient information ethically

   Note: Under discussion

   Sources medbookafrica.com (opens in a new tab)

3. M8.3

   Health AI devices approved

   Score 0 / 4

   There is no public, centralized number of formally approved standalone AI health tools. Kenya’ Pharmacy and Poisons Boaard implemented the officila guideline on regulation of medical device software in eary 2026. Prior to this framework, AI software did not have a dedicated regulatory pathway for standalone clinical approval in Kenya

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources healthbusiness.co.ke (opens in a new tab)

4. M8.4

   Government AI system registry

   Score 2 / 4

   No, the Kenyan government does not currently maintain an active, centralized registry of all AI systems in use, but it has formally legislated the creation of one. The establishment of an official AI registry is the core structural feature of the Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026 currently moving through the Senate. Until that bill fully passes into law, AI tracking remains fragmented across specific state agencies

   Note: Planned

   Sources parliament.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

5. M8.5

   AI governance M&E reports

   Score 0 / 4

   There are currently zero (0) officially published, standalone Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) reports specifically dedicated to AI governance implementation in Kenya. Because the National Artificial Intelligence strategy the implementation roadmap is still in its first phase. Government frameworks typically schedule formal M&E performance evaluations at either the mid-term (2.5 years) or annual mark

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 0 (reports).

   Sources ict.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

6. M8.6

   Agriculture AI governance

   Score 2 / 4

   Yes, Kenya has established clear governance frameworks for AI in agriculture, driven primarily by a newly introduced national policy and localized data initiatives designed to manage risks while protecting smallholder farmers

   Note: Under discussion

   Sources kilimo.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

7. M8.7

   Financial services AI governance

   Score 3 / 4

   AI governance in Kenya's financial services sector is strictly regulated through a combination of mandatory data privacy laws, sector-specific banking guidelines, national technical codes, and incoming "High-Risk" statutory classifications

   Note: Sector regulation

   Sources centralbank.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

8. M8.8

   Education AI governance

   Score 1 / 4

   Listed in the upcoming AI frameworl 2026

   Note: Under discussion

   Sources parliament.go.ke (opens in a new tab)

9. M8.9

   Measurable governance outcomes

   Score 3 / 4

   Some AI and automated governance frameworks in Kenya have produced measurable, protective outcomes, particularly through active financial enforcement, clinical risk reduction, and structured compliance audits. While the comprehensive Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026 and its formal regulatory sandboxes are still pending full passage, existing proxy governance frameworks such as the Data Protection Act and sector-specific automated guidelines are generating clear, quantifiable results.

   Note: Documented cases

   Sources regulations.ai (opens in a new tab)

10. M8.10

    WHO AI health guidance adoption

    ○Not scored: Excluded from the pillar mean

    No verified evidence found

    Scoring basis Not determined; excluded from the pillar mean.