Kenya, UK partner in war against cyber security threats

By Samuel Ouma [caption id="attachment_92916" align="alignnone" width="1044"] Principal Secretary (PS) Esther Koimett[/caption] Kenya and the United Kingdom (UK) have partnered to protect their citizenry from cyber security threats. Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary (PS) Esther Koimett said on Tuesday, 25th, January 2022, that with Kenya adopting a digital economy and most government services being offered online, there is a need to ensure that the Kenyan people and their businesses are protected from cyber security threats. Koimett spoke during a workshop for government Public Communicators on cyber security crisis communication held on Tuesday at a Nairobi hotel. The PS said that there has been a steady rise in cyber threats worldwide, and Kenya has been no exception, with websites of various ministries being constantly under cyber-attack. “This training is therefore important as it will enhance our capacity as government communicators to effectively play our role in informing citizens about how to protect themselves from cyber threats like the ever-emerging scams and fraudulent schemes,” said the PS. Koimett said that the objective of the training is to strengthen the strategic communications capability of the UK government, its allies and partners to jointly understand and counter cyber threats from hostile state actors given the increasing importance of technology and digitization in the delivery of services in every aspect of human interaction. “The training project consists of communications planning, delivery and training to support crisis communications and campaigns capability development for partner countries. It also touches on research and insights on critical audience vulnerabilities to underpin joint strategies and campaign development,” she said. Koimett highlighted that the government of Kenya is aware of the importance of Public Communications, and they strategically utilise Public Communications to promote government policies, programmes and strategies to cultivate a positive image and build confidence in government. “I wish to acknowledge the cordial and close working relations between the governments of Kenya and the UK and to thank the UK government for facilitating this training programme that has allowed knowledge-sharing in communications experience and skills,” said Koimett. British Deputy High Commissioner Josephine Gauld stated that technology has made lives easier and the UK Government provides most of their services online, adding that cyber security threats might lead to a national security crisis if not well handled.