State unveils sweeping reforms to embed digital systems in public service

RACHEL KILONZO-MYGOV

The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to reposition Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a central pillar of governance and economic growth, unveiling sweeping reforms to embed digital systems across the public service.

Speaking during the opening of an ICT leadership workshop in Naivasha, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy, Eng. John Tanui, outlined the structural changes that have redefined the role of ICT in government.

He emphasized that ICT is no longer a back-office support function but a core driver of governance, productivity, and national competitiveness.

Over the past year, the State Department has established four strategic directorates to institutionalize ICT across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

These include the Directorate of Digital Infrastructure, Cybersecurity and Systems Audit, Digital Government and Data Management, and Digital Economy and Emerging Technologies.

In addition, ICT units across state departments have been elevated to fully-fledged directorates reporting directly to accounting officers, strengthening leadership, accountability, and execution capacity.

“These reforms have brought on board four Secretaries and established 48 ICT Directorates across MDAs,” Eng. Tanui said.

The CS said the government has put in place adequate measures to cushion vulnerable households as the drought continues to ravage at least 23 Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) counties, where an estiSecretaries and established 48 ICT Directorates across MDAs,” Eng. Tanui said.

“This has significantly enhanced coordination and institutional capacity for digital service delivery across government,” the CS said.

The Naivasha workshop brought together ICT Secretaries and Directors from across the public sector to deliberate on strengthening governance, eliminating duplication, clarifying mandates, and aligning ICT structures with national priorities under the Kenya Digital Policy framework.

To support the reforms, the Ministry has created new ICT Assistant positions targeting graduates from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

So far, 290 ICT Assistant Officers have been recruited and deployed across the country to support digital hubs, systems operations, and local service delivery.

Together with 1,050 ICT Officers already serving in government, this marks a significant step toward embedding ICT within the public service.

“This is about building human capital to sustain Kenya’s digital transformation,” Tanui said.

“We are institutionalizing ICT as a profession within government, ensuring that digital systems are managed by skilled officers at every level.”

The PS highlighted progress in accelerating Kenya’s digital economy through the Directorate of Digital Economy and Emerging Technologies.

He noted that the government is working closely with the private sector to grow software development, digital platforms, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), electronics manufacturing, and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and cloud services.