Digital Leadership Programme: Shaping Kenya’s Digital Future

Last week, we trained 55 ICT Directors from different government agencies in the Digital Leadership Programme, a collaborative initiative between the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Kenya Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy and Strathmore University Business School.

This programme is designed to equip the directors with the tools to drive Kenya’s digital transformation and strengthen the country’s digital landscape through enhanced leadership, innovation, and cybersecurity.

The programme began with a clarion call on promotion of sandboxes, strengthening collaborations among various Government agencies and capacity building within the agencies. Sandboxes enable users to run programs or open files without affecting the application, system or platform on which they run, hence preventing attacks on government systems.

The week-long programme covered critical topics such as understanding Kenya’s ICT policy and strategy, emerging technology, digital-enabling platforms, e-governance, data driven decision making, digital leadership and transformation as well as internet governance among many others.

Speaking during a guest speaker session, Eng. John Kipchumba Tanui, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy in charge of the State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy, highlighted Kenya’s journey in ICT—from minimal digital services to becoming a leader in East Africa’s digital economy. He emphasized the critical role that each participant plays in advancing Kenya’s digital future. Eng. Tanui’s message was clear: the country’s leadership, from the Cabinet Secretary to the President, relies on these ICT leaders to support Kenya’s digital economy, job creation, and efficient service delivery.

The Strathmore Institute of Public Policy & Governance (SIPPG) is a research hub at the Strathmore University Business School (SBS), dedicated to contributing to informed public policy for better governance in East Africa.