Lawyers Hub Founder and chief executive Lindah Obonyo has called for a comprehensive regulatory architecture governing artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, warning that the unchecked deployment of AI could imperil electoral integrity, cybersecurity, data protection and democratic governance.
Speaking during the Law Society of Kenya Annual Conference in Diani, Obonyo said the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence had created an urgent imperative for governments, regulators and legal practitioners to develop sophisticated governance frameworks capable of harnessing technological innovation while mitigating its attendant risks.
Obonyo, whose organisation works extensively on AI policy across Africa and internationally, said the Lawyers Hub had been actively involved in conversations surrounding responsible regulation and governance of artificial intelligence.
She argued that the intersection between AI and electoral processes required particular scrutiny, given the potential of emerging technologies to influence voters, manipulate information, compromise sensitive data and undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.
According to Obonyo, Kenya must strengthen its regulatory framework governing technologies deployed during elections to guarantee electoral processes that are free, fair, transparent and firmly anchored in the Constitution.
“Experiences from other jurisdictions demonstrate the potential for sophisticated technological systems to be exploited to interfere with electoral processes, particularly through cyber vulnerabilities, targeted political messaging and manipulation of digital information ecosystems,” she said.
Obonyo said Kenya must learn from previous electoral experiences, including the challenges witnessed in 2017, when the country lacked adequate capacity to comprehensively identify and address sophisticated forms of data exploitation and technological interference.
She stressed the importance of empowering electoral institutions with the technical expertise and regulatory capacity necessary to detect emerging threats before they compromise the credibility of elections.
A particular area of concern, she noted, is AI-powered micro-targeting, through which political actors can utilise data-driven systems to deliver highly personalised messages to specific groups of voters.
Obonyo cautioned that such practices can operate beneath the radar of conventional electoral oversight, making it difficult for voters and regulators to determine how political messaging is generated, targeted or amplified.
“We call for greater transparency in the deployment of AI systems, including stringent oversight of algorithms, data utilisation and digital campaigning practices,” she noted.
The chief executive also advocated for more transparent and accountable public procurement processes for AI technologies, particularly where government institutions acquire systems capable of processing sensitive personal or electoral data.
She maintained that procurement of emerging technologies must be subjected to rigorous scrutiny, ensuring that public institutions understand the systems they purchase, the entities supplying them and the manner in which citizens’ data is processed and protected.
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in electoral and governance systems, Obonyo urged Kenya to adopt a proactive rather than reactive regulatory approach.
She argued that technological innovation should not be stifled, but must evolve within a framework founded on constitutionalism, transparency, accountability, cybersecurity and the protection of fundamental rights.
For Kenya, she said, the ultimate imperative is to ensure that AI becomes an instrument for strengthening democracy rather than a technological vector through which electoral integrity can be compromised.
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