On 8 th May 2026, CIPIT at Strathmore University hosted the second edition of its AI Governance Webinar Series: From Policy to Practice: Industry Perspectives on AI Governance in East Africa. The session brought together legal practitioners, technologists and regional policy actors around one central question: Are we regulating and policy making for what we are using?
Natasha Karanja, representing DIFA Consultancy, was among the speakers contributing
perspectives on responsible AI governance in the African context. The core argument was that
governance frameworks are not leading AI deployment; they are chasing it. Rather than
regulating AI as a single technology, the case was made for sector-intentional governance,
recognizing that AI in healthcare carries entirely different risks from AI in agriculture, finance or
education, and that frameworks must reflect that distinction.
On participation, the challenge put to policymakers was pointed: procedural consultation is not
the same as genuine inclusion. The question of whether rural communities, digitally excluded
populations, and those with limited AI literacy are meaningfully part of these conversations
remains largely unanswered. The broader takeaway was clear, for East Africa to get AI
governance right, the work must be evidence-driven, built from local realities, and co-developed with the communities it is meant to serve.
Swahili 
English