The government is planning to roll out facial recognition-enabled surveillance cameras in major towns as part of efforts to enhance monitoring through the Integrated Command Control Centre (IC3).
Speaking on Monday, June 22, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen clarified that Kenya currently does not possess a national facial recognition database containing the biometric facial data of citizens.
"We do not have a database with facial recognition technology that already has the data of the faces of Kenyans, where you merge the faces you get from the cameras and the database to establish the credentials of individuals," he said.
Murkomen explained that the government’s immediate focus is on expanding the capabilities of the Integrated Command Control Centre to improve surveillance and response efforts in major towns across the country.
"Our objective is that in our Integrated Command Control Centre, which we are enhancing, part of the work is to see Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa, Eldoret, Nyeri, and we establish cameras with the capacity to do facial recognition," he added.
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According to Murkomen, the procurement process is expected to be completed within the next two months, after which the government will begin deploying the technology.
He noted that the existing IC3 infrastructure is already operational and will serve as the foundation for the expansion.
"With this project, we are hoping to conclude procurement in 2 months, and rolling out would take 3-6 months. The IC3 was already in place and functioning. What you avoid in that situation is that cameras should not be put in private places, but in public places that are accessible," he further said.
Meanwhile, Parliament has approved the National Cybersecurity Agency Order, 2026, paving the way to the establishment of the National Cybersecurity Agency (NCSA).
In a statement, the Ministry of Interior welcomed the approval of the order on Monday, June 22, noting that it is a key step in the setting up of the NCSA.
"The Ministry welcomes the parliamentary approval of the National Cybersecurity Agency Order, 2026, a key step in the establishment of a national agency to regulate and coordinate cybersecurity and strengthen the protection of Kenya's digital infrastructure," the Ministry stated.
Enacted under the State Corporations Act, NCSA will be an autonomous regulatory and technical body mandated to coordinate all national cybersecurity efforts and strengthen the protection of the country's digital infrastructure.
The agency will be responsible for coordinating national cybersecurity matters under the direction of the Cabinet Secretary for Internal Security.
Core functions of the agency include: formulating and implementing cross-sector national cybersecurity strategies, auditing and certifying the cybersecurity resilience of critical information infrastructure, managing the National Cybersecurity Operations Center, and supporting sectoral centers.
NCSA will also conduct digital network vulnerability assessments and issue technical advisories, develop specialized professional certifications to close the national skills gap, and serve as the primary technical liaison between the government and the digital industry.
NCSA will be based in Nairobi County with provisions to operate satellites and specialized units.
The agency will be managed by a board of directors consisting of a non-executive Chairperson appointed by the President, as well as the Internal Security, National Treasury, and ICT Principal Secretaries.
Th board will also have representatives from the Attorney General's Office, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Police Service (NPS), National Intelligence Service (NIS), and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
It will also have representatives from academia appointed by the Interior Cabinet Secretary and the private sector, and a Director General who will be an ex officio member.
The Chairperson of NCSA will be required to hold a Master’s degree and have 15 years of experience. Members of the board will serve for a 3-year term, renewable once.
The NCSA board will competitively recruit a Director-General, subject to approval by the Interior Cabinet Secretary.
The Director-General must possess at least a master's degree and significant senior management experience in cybersecurity or related fields.
The agency will also have a Corporation Secretary who will be appointed by the Board to handle meetings, records, and compliance.
The Corporation Secretary must be a member of the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya with 10 years of experience.
NCSA will be funded through Parliamentary appropriations, operational revenues, and approved gifts or grants.
For accountability, NCSA will be required to prepare annual budgets and estimates, maintain proper financial records, submit its accounts for audit by the Auditor-General, and prepare annual reports detailing its operations and performance.
