The Kenyan government is asking parliament for KES 2.7 billion to buy AI software that will monitor social media, manage public communications, and get a new central government communications hub up and running.
The State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications made the pitch to the National Assembly’s ICT committee, arguing that the media landscape has shifted enough that the government needs specialized tools to keep up.
Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke pointed specifically to the rise of disinformation, misinformation, and what officials call “malinformation” on social media as the driving reason.
Breaking down the ask: KES 400 million goes toward AI software for social media sentiment analysis, KES 926 million funds the creation of a National Communication Center, KES 242.79 million covers media and customer relations management software, and KES 795 million addresses Kenya News Agency’s crumbling field offices.
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Another KES 300 million is needed at the ministry headquarters for operations, policy work, and monitoring. According to The Daily Nation, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation is also in trouble, sitting on a KES 592 million salary gap with only KES 953 million allocated against an annual payroll of KES 1.5 billion, meaning KBC can technically pay net salaries but cannot cover statutory deductions.
The National Communication Center is the centerpiece of the proposal. The idea is to create one place where all government information is collected, packaged, and sent out as coordinated briefs.
Committee chair and Dagoreti South MP John Kiarie gave that part a warm reception, noting that government ministries currently appear to be communicating “at cross purposes” and that the administration is struggling to publicize its own development work.
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Whether the money actually comes through depends on the Budget and Appropriations Committee, chaired by Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi, which is currently working through funding requests from various committees before parliament returns from recess.
