Friday, 14 March, 2025
Senate ICT Committee scrutinises Technopolis Bill 2024๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ฒ๐๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐
The Senate Committee on Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) has begun deliberations on the Technopolis Bill 2024, a key piece of legislation forwarded from the National Assembly that seeks to establish a legal and institutional framework for the development, regulation and management of technopolises in Kenya.
The Bill, which aligns with the countryโs digital transformation agenda, has raised concerns among committee members, with several senators calling for a closer examination of its provisions.
Committee chair, Sen Allan Chesang (Trans Nzoia), acknowledged the need for further scrutiny, saying: โThose are basically a few issues that members have identified, and since they have a draft, they can scrutinise it in-depth.โ
One of the most contentious aspects of the Bill is the expansive powers it grants to the Cabinet Secretary for ICT. Sen Hezena Lemaletian warned that these provisions could concentrate too much authority in the hands of one individual.
โIt seems the CS will have a lot of powers, which is dangerous. The CS has power to appoint, determine salaries. He will control everything,โ she said.
Senator Beatrice Ogolla echoed these concerns, calling for a meticulous review of the Bill.
โWe really need to look at it and comb it line by line because there is so much to it,โ she said.
Ogollaโs reservations aligned with those of Lemaletian, both arguing that the Bill, as currently drafted, risks undermining oversight and accountability by placing excessive control in the hands of the CS.
Senators present at the meeting included: Miraj Abdillahi (Vice-chair), Beatrice Akinyi Ogolla, Hezena Lemaletian, William Kisang (Elgeyo Marakwet) and Issa Juma Boy (Kwale).