MP Kiarie pushes for parliamentary oversight on AI
The lawmaker explained AI’s promise in agriculture and medicine but cautioned that AI-generated misinformation is already undermining democracy
Dagoretti South Member of Parliament, John Kiarie, has urged Parliament to establish a Parliamentary Office on Science and Technology to help Kenya navigate the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies.
Speaking at the 3rd Leadership Retreat of the National Assembly in Mombasa, Kiarie, who also serves as Chairperson of the National Assembly Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation, stated the world is firmly in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven by machine learning and advanced algorithms, warning that Kenya risks being sidelined unless it acts decisively.
The lawmaker explained AI’s promise in agriculture and medicine but cautioned that AI-generated misinformation is already undermining democracy, citing the 2024 Finance Bill protests.
Comparing AI’s dangers to nuclear weapons, he stressed the need for urgent regulation, adding that existing laws like the Data Protection Act are inadequate, as seen in the Worldcoin case.
The Kiarie-led committee is recommending the creation of a joint AI committee between the National Assembly and Senate, stronger safeguards in national frameworks such as Vision 2030, and capacity building for MPs.
The MP contrasted Kenya’s limited preparedness with global efforts, noting that the United States has enacted more than 100 AI regulations, China has over 100 AI policies and the European Union launched its AI4EU initiative in 2019 with a €20 million (Sh2.82 billion) budget.
“Kenya cannot afford to be left behind in this race. The question is not the cost of doing it, but the cost of not doing it,” he warned.
He also raised concerns that global AI systems are primarily developed in English and other dominant languages, leaving African cultures at risk of exclusion.
“If we do not feed our culture and languages into these algorithms, then we are excluded from the Fourth Industrial Revolution without even knowing it,” Kiarie cautioned.
“This revolution is not ten years away. We must act now to harness AI’s benefits while protecting our people from its risks.”
