Mucheru stated that the IEBC is an independent entity that is acquiring its own information technology (IT) systems for the 2018 elections, and that the ministry was not involved in the process in any manner.
“We do not have any plans or intension to hack the IEBC servers neither do we have the know-how to do it because the servers are procured and secured by the IEBC itself,” Mucheru said.
He claimed that the charges emanating from one side of the political divide were nothing more than political bluster, claiming that it is impossible to hack the IEBC-secured system without prior knowledge or information about its security.
On Friday, the CS spoke in Naivasha to officially finish the workshop on the Cyber Security Strategy 2022–2026, which he claimed will provide instructions to help the government tighten cyber security laws.
In terms of network coverage in the country for the next elections, the CS told the public that the entire country would be covered for the convenience of transmission of election results, as the IEBC had bought 1,500 satellite modems to be utilized in places where the 3G network was not available.
On August 9, approximately 20 million registered voters will go to the polls to elect their leaders at six levels: presidential, gubernatorial, senatorial, county women representatives, member of parliament, and county assembly.
Kenya, according to Mucheru, has the largest international bandwidth per internet user, with 566.41 kilobites per second and a 52 percent compound annual growth rate, making it one of the world’s most digitalized countries.
He claimed that every sector and industry, as well as the entire government, had accepted and relied significantly on ICTs and the internet as economic and governance resources, necessitating the need to defend our digital environment.
The workshop, according to the CS, could not have arrived at a better time because it will give the government with critical policy and strategy to assist defend “our digital environment at a time when many government and private sector firms have gone online.”
“This transformation has brought about cyber security challenges that any state needs to respond to, either on the offensive or defensive manner,” the CS said.
Mucheru stated that the use of new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, 5G networks, and block chain has created new difficulties that necessitate the development of new strategies to address and safeguard Kenya’s cyber security interests.
According to the CS, Kenya needs strategies to protect and safeguard its Critical Information Infrastructure and essential services, strengthen its cyber security legal and regulatory frameworks, reduce cyber security risks, and improve computer and cybercrime incident detection, prevention, and mitigation.
Mucheru also stated that the strategy will improve cyber intelligence collection, investigation, prosecution, and judicial processes, as well as facilitate public-private partnerships for national and international action plans and ensure a unified and comprehensive legal framework governing Kenyan cyberspace.