Uasin gishu: The Government has unveiled a national platform designed to unify the country’s rapidly expanding software and artificial intelligence (AI) industry under a single ecosystem. The platform brings developers, technological companies, and government agencies into a single collaborative ecosystem for the first time.
According to Kenya News Agency, the initiative was launched during the inaugural Software Industry Summit, where Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy, Eng. John Tanui, said the platform emerged from extensive consultations with industry stakeholders. He noted that players across the sector had consistently identified the lack of a central convening space as a major impediment to growth, innovation, and strategic collaboration. ‘We realised that although other sectors like agriculture have structured collaboration frameworks, the software and AI industry had none,’ the PS said. ‘Our goal is to bring the entire ecosystem together so that Kenya can be ranked globally in technology the same way we are in athletics.’
The summit attracted innovators from across the country, among them Askari Cloud, a developer of cloud-based security solutions. Askari Cloud’s Co-founder and CEO Denis Mwebia said the company attended the forum to explore partnerships with security firms and county governments, particularly in Uasin Gishu. Mwebia divulged that Askari Cloud aims to support authorities in crime mapping and incident response through digitized guard management systems. He said, ‘Most of the security companies in Kenya still operate manually, relying on books and WhatsApp.’ Adding that, ‘Our platform allows guards to check in digitally, report incidents via a mobile app, and provide real-time data to security managers and the National Police Service.’ He revealed that the firm targets at least 50,000 guards using its platform by the end of 2026.
The summit also featured Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge as the keynote speaker. Olympic King highlighted the growing role of technology in sports, particularly as climate change increasingly affects training and competition. Kipchoge said AI and data tools are transforming athlete monitoring, performance analytics, and event logistics. ‘If we do not adapt, we risk losing the joy and fairness that sport brings,’ he warned, urging stronger investment in innovation across African athletics.
The three-day Kenya Software and AI Summit, which kicked off from Monday to Wednesday, was co-hosted by the ICT Authority in partnership with the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy in Uasin Gishu County. Organisers said the summit will now be held annually, positioning Kenya as a hub for software and AI development in Africa.