Kenya moves to strengthen cyber defences as attacks surge 114pc

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 2 — The government has directed a newly inaugurated cybersecurity agency to strengthen Kenya’s digital defences amid a sharp rise in cyberattacks targeting the country’s digital infrastructure.…

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the National Cybersecurity Agency must prioritise strengthening the National Cybersecurity Operations Centre to improve the country’s ability to detect, analyse and respond to cyber threats in real time.

Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya shows that Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks rose to 72.16 million in the year to June 2026, representing a 114.3 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

Speaking at Harambee House in Nairobi during the inauguration of the agency’s board, Murkomen said the growing threat required cybersecurity to be treated as a national security priority rather than solely an information and communications technology concern.

“Cybersecurity is no longer merely an ICT concern. It is a matter of national security, economic security, public safety and national sovereignty,” he said.

Source: Capital FM