Policy

KENYA: POLICY FRAMEWORK In 1997, the Government released the Telecommunications and Postal Sector Policy Guidelines that created an environment for competition in several market segments and paved way to the enactment of the Kenya Communications Act of 1998 which repealed the Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Act and established: (a) CCK as the Telecommunications, Radio Communications and Postal Sector Regulator; (b) National Communications Secretariat (NCS) to serve as a policy advisory body; (c) Communications Appeals Tribunal; (d) Telkom Kenya Limited; and (e) Postal Corporation of Kenya. Currently, ICT issues are considered under various legislation including: The Science and Technology Act, Cap. 250 of 1977, The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation Act of 1988 and the Kenya Communications Act of 1998, which are inadequate in dealing with issues of convergence, electronic commerce and e-Government. There is need for a comprehensive policy, legal and regulatory framework to: (a) Support ICT development, investment and application; (b) Promote competition in the industry where appropriate; (c) Ensure affordability and access to ICT nationally; (d) Address issues of privacy, e-security, ICT legislation, cyber crimes, ethical and moral conduct, copyrights, intellectual property rights and piracy; (e) Support research and development in ICT; and (f) Develop an institutional framework for policy development and review