Kenyan and Ugandan lawmakers are seeking a new approach to regulating artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. The issue took center stage when Kenya's National Assembly Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation met Uganda's ICT Committee at Parliament. The Ugandan delegation was in Kenya to learn from the country's experience in digital infrastructure, technology policy, and legislation as Kampala works on its own legal framework for artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
The discussions focused on how governments can put in place laws that protect citizens and consumers without creating rules that could slow down technological development. Lawmakers said regulations need to be flexible enough to respond to technologies whose uses and impact are still changing. They emphasized the need for a broader approach to technology laws, considering developments linked to the wider Fourth Industrial Revolution, including cryptocurrency and the Internet of Things.
Kenya's progress in expanding digital services was also part of the engagement. The Ugandan lawmakers showed interest in Kenya's digital hubs and the role played by the devolved system in spreading digital infrastructure and services across the counties. More than 300 digital hubs were operational in Kenya by April 2026, while additional facilities were still under construction. This has enabled Kenya to make significant strides in digital development.
The Ugandan delegation received a briefing from the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy on the infrastructure, policy, and legal measures required to support the use of artificial intelligence. Uganda acknowledged Kenya's progress in different areas of the digital sector while also sharing its efforts to improve connectivity and expand its technology infrastructure. The lawmakers discussed Uganda's plans to simplify its ICT laws.
Members of the Ugandan committee said the existing laws covering telecommunications, technology, and communications had become difficult to interpret and apply. They also pointed to constitutional challenges that had led to parts of some laws being nullified. To address the challenge, Uganda is considering a proposed Telecommunications, Technology, and Communication Bill that would bring different provisions together under a single legal framework.
The Ugandan delegation proposed setting up a regulatory sandbox within the ministry responsible for ICT. The facility would provide a controlled environment where emerging technologies could be tested before regulators decide how they should be governed. Kenya's experience with M-Pesa was cited as another example of the difficulty of regulating new technologies using existing legal categories.
The two committees agreed to maintain parliamentary engagement and share legislative experience as East African countries work towards deeper digital integration. Isiolo MP Mohammed Tubi said sustained engagement between the committees would give both countries a better understanding of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies while helping them develop laws that can keep pace with technological change without limiting innovation.
Key points
- Lawmakers from Kenya and Uganda are seeking a new approach to regulating artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
- The two countries are working towards deeper digital integration.
- A regulatory sandbox is being proposed to test emerging technologies.
