Kenya launches sovereign cybersecurity centre as digital threats mount

NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 10 – Kenya has launched the SecureKE Sovereign Security Operations Centre (SOC) at Konza Technopolis in a move aimed at strengthening the protection of government systems, citizen data and critical digital infrastructure amid growing cyber threats.

The centre is expected to provide shared cybersecurity services to government institutions and private sector organisations, including continuous security monitoring, artificial intelligence-supported threat detection, incident investigation, vulnerability management and coordinated response.

Speaking during the launch, Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy John Tanui said cybersecurity had become a national security priority and an essential requirement for building a secure, resilient and trusted digital economy.

“We cannot build a digital economy without securing the infrastructure, systems and data on which it depends,” Tanui said.

He noted that Kenya’s digital transformation had expanded access to government services through eCitizen, increased reliance on digital payments and accelerated the adoption of cloud technologies across institutions.

According to Tanui, the country had recorded 58.5 million mobile data subscriptions by June 2025, reflecting the scale of its growing connected economy.

However, he warned that the expansion of digital services and interconnected systems had also increased exposure to cyber threats.

Data from the National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team Coordination Centre (KE-CIRT/CC), cited by the PS, showed that Kenya recorded approximately 4.56 billion cyber threat events between October and December 2025.

He said institutions were increasingly facing ransomware, phishing, identity theft, cyber fraud and sophisticated attacks enabled by artificial intelligence.

Tanui also cited reported banking cyber-fraud losses of approximately Sh1.9 billion in 2025, warning that cyber insecurity had consequences beyond technology, including disruption of essential public services, financial losses, compromised sensitive information and erosion of public confidence.

“Cybersecurity is therefore not only an ICT concern. It is a national security priority, an economic imperative and a responsibility of institutional leadership,” he said.

Konza Technopolis Development Authority Chief Executive Officer John Paul Okwiri said the launch marked a new phase in Kenya’s efforts to secure its digital transformation.

“A digital economy cannot thrive without digital trust, and digital trust cannot exist without strong cybersecurity,” Okwiri said.

He said SecureKE would complement investments in the Konza National Data Centre, which provides infrastructure for data hosting, cloud services and other digital solutions.

The centre will offer continuous security monitoring, intelligent threat detection, proactive threat hunting, incident-response support and security automation powered by artificial intelligence-enabled analytics.

Okwiri said the initiative would strengthen Kenya’s digital sovereignty, build confidence in digital services and help secure the country’s digital future.

He also linked the launch to the Technopolis Act, 2026, which he said had expanded the authority’s mandate to develop, manage and promote technopolises as world-class smart cities, science parks and innovation ecosystems.

He described Konza as a flagship smart city delivering technology solutions powered by Kenyan professionals and local companies, in line with the vision of Silicon Savannah.

Tanui said one of the challenges facing the country was the uneven distribution of cybersecurity capabilities across institutions.

He noted that while many organisations had invested in firewalls, antivirus solutions and periodic security assessments, effective cybersecurity required continuous monitoring, timely threat detection and coordinated incident response.

Establishing independent Security Operations Centres across every government institution would require significant financial and technical resources, he said.

SecureKE introduces a shared cybersecurity model that will enable institutions to access specialised services without necessarily having to establish their own centres.

Its sovereign infrastructure is also expected to strengthen Kenya’s capacity to manage sensitive security operations locally, supported by appropriate data governance and access controls.

The PS said the initiative would complement the government’s Cloud First and Artificial Intelligence agenda by providing coordinated and continuous protection for organisations as they adopt digital technologies.

Beyond strengthening the country’s cyber defences, Tanui said SecureKE would contribute to the development of local expertise, promote knowledge transfer and create employment opportunities.

“Through initiatives such as SecureKE, we are not only providing avenues for jobs but also promoting knowledge transfer, developing specialised skills and creating opportunities for Kenyan cybersecurity professionals and technology companies,” he said.

He said the government’s ambition was to build a sustainable, locally anchored cybersecurity ecosystem capable of responding to emerging threats.

Tanui urged Principal Secretaries, chief executive officers and heads of government institutions to prioritise cybersecurity in institutional planning, governance and resource allocation.

He called on national and county government agencies to identify critical systems, assess vulnerabilities, strengthen monitoring and incident-response arrangements, and comply with applicable cybersecurity and data protection requirements.

He said the centre’s success should be measured through improvements in security outcomes, including fewer critical vulnerabilities, faster threat detection, reduced incident-response times and improved continuity of public services.

“The success of SecureKE must be measured not simply by the number of institutions connected, but by how much more secure and resilient those institutions become,” Tanui said.

He also called on private sector partners to support cybersecurity innovation, capacity building and responsible sharing of threat intelligence.

Okwiri invited government ministries, departments and agencies, state corporations and private sector organisations to engage with Konza and explore how the platform could strengthen their cybersecurity capabilities.

The launch brought together Principal Secretaries, government officials, chief executives of state corporations and representatives of technology and private sector partners.

Tanui said Kenya had made significant investments in expanding connectivity and digitising public services but needed to place greater emphasis on protecting the systems supporting that transformation.

“We have invested in connecting Kenya. We have invested in digitising Kenya. We must now invest in securing Kenya,” he said.