Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has introduced a plan to establish an Office of the Artificial Intelligence Commissioner to oversee the rapid expansion of AI technology in Kenya.
Under the proposed Artificial Intelligence Bill, 2026, the president would appoint the commissioner with Parliament’s approval. This new authority will hold the power to inspect AI systems, summon individuals for questioning, and access specific records or data after providing due notice.
The office will also take on several critical responsibilities, including ethical frameworks like creating guidelines to ensure AI development remains fair and transparent, categorizing AI systems based on their potential impact on the public and issuing formal notices to ensure companies and developers comply with the law.
The bill also creates an advisory committee to guide the new office. This team will include representatives from the ICT Ministry, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, and the National Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation. To ensure a broad range of perspectives, the committee will also feature members from county governments, the private sector, and civil society groups.
This legislative move follows a surge in AI adoption across Kenya’s manufacturing, media, transport, and hospitality industries. As these tools become more common, many have grown concerned about the current lack of clear rules or a legal framework to govern them.
To ensure businesses take these rules seriously, the bill introduces strict consequences for those who break the law. Non-compliant individuals or companies could face fines up to Sh5 million.
Offenders could also serve a prison sentence of up to two years, and in some cases, the court may impose both a fine and a jail term.
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