KeIGF 2024: KICTANet CEO Outlines Kenya’s Digital Path

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, and esteemed participants, it is a great honour to welcome you all to the 17th edition of the Kenya Internet Governance Forum (Kenya IGF).

It is at the IGF that we shape the future of Internet governance in our country, region, and beyond.

About KICTANet

At the heart of convening this event is the Kenya ICT Action Network Trust (KICTANet), which is a multistakeholder think tank for ICT policy and regulation. Our strategic pillars are policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement, capacity building, and research. As you all know by now, KICTANet has been a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector for close to two decades.

During this period, Kenya’s digital landscape has witnessed remarkable growth. For example, Internet penetration has grown significantly from about 3% in 2004 to 40.8% in 2024. Mobile SIM penetration has seen a dramatic increase from 6.2% in 2004 to 132.1% in March 2024.

Likewise, smartphone penetration has grown from literally nothing to 58.6%, exceeding the number of feature phones. Also, Kenya’s ICT sector contributes significantly to the economy, driven by advances in internet connectivity, digital payments, e-commerce, digital services, and an abundance of digital skills.

More recently, Kenya experienced its first major internet disruption on June 25, 2024, that crippled our country for hours during the #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests led by our Gen Z’s. The disruption is unacceptable and must never happen again. As stakeholders in the ICT sector, we must keep the Internet on at all costs, at all times, and for all people. #KeepItOn!

That said, these developments underscore the importance of the IGF as a platform where internet stakeholders can come together and, in the spirit of Harambee, collectively address the emerging challenges and develop best practices to harness the opportunities presented by technology in the internet ecosystem.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Since its inception in 2008, the Kenya IGF has exemplified the multistakeholder model and grown into a pivotal platform that brings together a diverse array of stakeholders. Today, we come together as a diverse community representing academia, government, civil society, the media, the private sector, the technical community, and the public. Indeed, this is a testament to the power of collaboration and unity of purpose for the common good.

The IGF is also a platform for open and inclusive dialogue that facilitates the exchanging of ideas, sharing of best practices, identifying emerging issues—some that require urgent policy attention—and capacity building.

This year’s Kenya IGF theme, ‘Building Kenya’s Multi-Stakeholder Digital Future’ resonates deeply with our context. As we align our discussions with this theme, we are reminded of the unique opportunities and challenges that the digital age presents to us. The sub-themes we will explore over the course of this forum are not only timely but also essential in guiding our conversations and actions.

As you may recall, this event was initially scheduled for June 27, 2024, as the culmination of the Kenya IGF week. As part of the activities leading up to this event today, KICTANet held the following activities:

Between June 7 and 21, the Kenya School of Internet Governance (KeSIG) was held, bringing in 70 fresh voices in internet governance, some of whom are here today.
On June 22, Watoto Watch Network convened the 5th edition of the Children IGF in Laikipia County, giving children a platform to speak about internet governance.
In collaboration with APC, we held a gender training on June 24 that focused on women’s inclusion for a multistakeholder digital future.
In collaboration with the Paradigm Initiative, we held a regional roundtable on internet fragmentation and human rights in Africa on June 26.
On the same day, with support from Slovak Aid, we held a stakeholder roundtable and policy dialogue on cybersecurity and data protection in Kenya.
Lastly, under the leadership of our Gen Z, we held the Kenya Youth IGF on June 26 to amplify the voices of the youth in internet governance.

What does today’s theme mean for us?

Building Kenya’s Multi-Stakeholder Digital Future’ means we all need to renew our commitment to the multistakeholder model, while emphasising collaboration across borders and sectors. For Kenya, 2024 is a crucial year for internet governance, where we have recorded new ways of doing things buttressed by the Internet.

The civic engagement and awareness that have happened in the last two months are enormous and have enhanced the critical role of the Internet. However, the Internet shutdown on June 25 raises internet governance concerns and calls for the need to adapt to changing situations, technology, challenges, and geopolitical forces.

Today, we are called upon to foster a collaborative, inclusive, and sustainable approach to Internet governance.

As we discuss the future of internet governance in Kenya and across the globe, it will be of great importance to continue engaging all stakeholders, promote digital inclusion, protect human rights, and ensure effective internet governance to create a digital future that benefits all Kenyans. Multistakeholder processes should strive to treat all stakeholders fairly and equitably, considering their respective needs, capacities, realities, and vulnerabilities.

As I conclude, I encourage each one of you to actively participate, share your perspectives, and collaborate with fellow stakeholders. Let us engage in constructive dialogue, share our experiences, and inspire one another to harness the full potential of the internet.

Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to all of you who are here. And also to the sponsors and partners with whose support this event has been made possible:

Luminate.
Meta
GIZ and EU.
Safaricom.
APC.
CIPESA.
ESET.
Huawei.
Access Now.
TESPOK.
UNESCO.
KENIC.
Paradigm Initiative.
ICANN.
Liquid Technologies.

Last but not least, my KICTANet team and the Kenya IGF MAG.

Address by Dr. Grace Githaiga, CEO of KICTANet, at the 17th Kenya Internet Governance Forum on August 1, 2024.

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