Government outlines policy path for Kenya's growing telematics sector

Kenya’s government has set out a policy framework to guide the expansion of Kenya’s fleet management industry,  which emphasises on secure data use, interoperability, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and support for electric mobility.

John Kipchumba Tanui, the PS for ICT and Digital economy department described connected vehicles and fleets as part of an emerging intelligent digital transport ecosystem. The shift, the PS said, offers Kenya immediate opportunities to improve road safety, make logistics more reliable, strengthen enterprise competitiveness and deliver better services to citizens.

Speaking in Nairobi, Tanui noted that telematic industry depends on the broader digital transformation agenda. This includes investment in national fibre infrastructure and public connectivity initiatives which connects devices, cloud platforms and real time data services to enable them operate beyond urban markets and reach economic corridors, counties and productive areas.

According to the PS, connected fleets generate information on location, journeys, vehicle use and, in some cases, driver behaviour. He reiterated that such data must be collected, processed, stored and shared lawfully under Kenya’s Data Protection Act and the oversight of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.

The recently gazetted Kenya Cloud Policy requires public entities to adopt a cloud-first approach, with rules on data classification, secure hosting and the responsible use of government or accredited private cloud infrastructure.

Cybersecurity was described as a core business requirement, given the risks of unauthorised access, data loss, manipulation and operational disruption posed by connected vehicles, sensors and fleet platforms.

The government urged industry players to avoid having isolated platforms that could create new silos and should instead favour secure, standards-driven and consent-based connectivity among fleet operators, logistics providers, insurers, service centres, counties and relevant public institutions.

Tanui said the telematic industry has evolved beyond simple location tracking, as using GPS, sensors, cloud platforms, AI and analytics can make operations more predictive, identify maintenance needs before breakdowns, detect unsafe driving patterns, reduce fuel use, protect assets and improve delivery reliability.

“It is important to use connected technologies to anticipate risks and prevent harm rather than merely record incidents after they occur,” Tanui said.