Aside from the Financial Bill 2024, The ICTA Bill 2024 also has several critical changes that are likely to impact tech professionals and companies operating within Kenya once it’s approved. The bill calls for stricter licensing requirements for ICT practitioners.
This means, that every tech practitioner will need to register with a newly established regulatory body, which will oversee and enforce industry standards. Also, To practice legally, ICT professionals must obtain specific certifications and necessary qualifications and emphasizes continuous professional development to ensure that skills remain up-to-date in a fast-paced industry.
While the stricter data protection regulations especially will lead to more robust data security practices and increase trust in Kenyan tech services, a section of Kenyan’s have opined that the new bill will kill creativity and innovation especially to self taught professionals.
Looking at in details, the ICTA Bill requires certification which may involve significant costs, including exam fees, study materials, and potentially training courses and for self-taught and freelance techies, these expenses could be a substantial financial burden.
Also, upon registration the government will integrate ICT into its system for easier supervision and inspection of practitioners which they say would guarantee improved security in an increasingly complex sector.
“Where the Authority approves the application, the Authority shall accredit the applicant and where the Authority rejects the application, the Authority shall inform the applicant of such rejection and provide reasons,” the proposed legislation states.
Additionally, freelancers, in particular, might find it challenging to navigate the regulatory requirements. Ensuring compliance with the new standards could require a significant investment of time and resources, which may detract from their ability to take on client projects and grow their businesses.
According to the new bill, after applying for a license, an ICT practitioner will wait for 30 days for approval to be processed. Also note that, the ICT Authority will renew each practitioner’s license annually if the bill is approved. Suspension can be made if an ICT practitioner is proven to have violated the bounds of accreditation, or engaged in illegal activity.
One of the strengths of self-taught and freelance techies is their ability to innovate and adapt quickly to the evolving technologies. Introducing the licenses and the new regulations are likely to stifle this flexibility. Consequently, With the ICTA Bill approval, innovation is potentially going to slow down due to the increased regulatory oversight in the tech sector.
Have you read the bill? share your thoughts with us.