Kenya is taking significant strides in implementing a governance-led approach to artificial intelligence (AI) across its public sector. Following the launch of the UNESCO-Oxford Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on AI and Digital Transformation in Government in November 2025, civil servants are now applying their learning to institutional practices. The MOOC, delivered through the Kenya School of Government under the DigiKen Programme, aims to enhance executive leadership capabilities for governing emerging technologies responsibly and embedding oversight at the highest levels of administration. The course is grounded in UNESCO’s AI Competency Framework for Civil Servants, focusing on the knowledge, skills, and ethical foundations required for managing AI in the public sector.
The course integrates essential components such as policy literacy, data governance, platform accountability, and human rights safeguards, transforming global norms into practical governance strategies for government institutions. This training has facilitated a fundamental shift in how digital transformation is perceived—no longer seen merely as the introduction of new tools, but as a governance responsibility requiring oversight, accountability, and ethics from the start.
Civil servants are moving from experimental AI use towards structured and disciplined implementation with clear safeguards. For example, Sylvia Terer, a financial auditor at the Kenya Roads Board, explained how the MOOC helped enhance her capacity for responsible AI and data governance, leading her to implement stronger digital risk assessments and data quality checks. Similarly, Neville Moninga Siro from Kisii County highlighted how the training equipped him to use AI tools to improve efficiency in agricultural services, including pest identification and farm planning, which improved transparency and service delivery.
In the educational sector, Nancy Oloo from the Kenya School of TVET shared how the course emphasized the importance of governance principles in digital transformation. She now integrates AI policies and data protection standards into training and learning activities to ensure responsible innovation. Likewise, Dr. Tirus Muya Maina, a lecturer at Murang’a University, emphasized the role of governance-led AI in improving decision-making and accountability within academic systems.
At the County Government of Kitui, Ngele Marcs Kilonzo noted that the MOOC helped clarify how governments can adopt AI responsibly while maintaining ethics and accountability. This understanding led to enhanced ICT audit processes and the integration of governance frameworks into digital transformation initiatives.
Kenya’s approach underscores the importance of building governance capacity to ensure that digital transformation is trusted and sustainable. By strengthening civil servants’ skills in AI policy, data governance, and ethical oversight, the government is fostering an environment where digital systems can be designed, supervised, and regulated in the public interest. As a result, stronger data integrity systems, privacy safeguards, and bias mitigation measures are emerging across institutions.
This shift from mere AI adoption to a governance-centered approach ensures the sustainability of digital transformation. Kenya’s efforts are setting the stage for a public sector that not only embraces innovation but also embeds ethics, accountability, and citizen protection at the core. This governance-led transformation aligns with the country’s commitment to inclusive, rights-based development in line with Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 16.
