Nairobi — Interior and National Administration Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has appealed to the legislators to strengthen laws in the wake of rapid advancements in technology.
While addressing Coast Parliamentary Group members in Kisumu, Omollo says the growing commercialization of space and the potential risks associated with the advancements needs a strong legal framework.
Omollo says there is a need for the existing laws to be tightened further.
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"We have existing laws, which were put together a while back, between then and now many things have changed particularly within the technology space," he said.
He noted that the Computer Misuse and Cyber-Crime Act was enacted in 2018 and needs to be boosted to tackle emerging cases of computer misuse.
The PS says technology has been a useful tool in terms of communication and innovation and must be protected from misuse.
He told the legislators to relook at some of the laws with an aim of strengthening them to deal with perpetrators who misuse technology.
"Let us look at what is happening in other jurisdictions so that we are able to control hate speech and crime," Omollo said.
Omollo says a lot of things are currently happening in cyber bullying and until and unless laws are tightened the trend will continue undeterred.
The Chairman of the caucus group, Danson Mwashako, (MP Wundanyi), says they were in Kisumu for a retreat to discuss challenges affecting the Coastal region.
"As leaders of the Coast, the narrative that the region is lagging behind in terms of development must come to an end," he said.
Mwashako says they have enough resources to develop the region and called on those mandated to head public parastatals to effectively discharge service delivery to the locals.
The legislators raised a red flag over the lack of full utilization of Lamu port, which has the potential to improve the economy of the region and by extension the entire country.
In attendance during the retreat meeting included, chairman of LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority, chairman of Mombasa Water and Sanitation Company, Chairman Kenya National Shipping Line, amongst others.
"The government has pumped billions of shillings into Lamu port and if nothing is done it will remain a white elephant," said the MPs.
The Port of Lamu is a 23-berth port in Manda Bay. The project aims to connect the port to a new transport corridor, including roads, a standard gauge railway, an oil pipeline, an oil refinery, international airports and resort cities.
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