Richard Muthua takes charge of Safaricom’s cloud, cybersecurity and IoT portfolio
Richard Muthua has joined Safaricom PLC as Head of Cloud, Cyber Security and IoT, bringing experience in enterprise cloud services, cybersecurity and network infrastructure from senior positions at Liquid Intelligent Technologies and Internet Solutions.
Muthua’s LinkedIn profile lists the Safaricom appointment as starting in October 2026. He has already appeared in his new capacity at Safaricom Business’ managed software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) launch, covered by TechTrendsKE on October 8, as the company continues to develop its enterprise technology services.
His move places him in charge of a portfolio spanning cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity and the Internet of Things (IoT), three areas that support Safaricom’s efforts to serve business and public-sector customers with technology beyond traditional connectivity.
Richard Muthua’s career spans cloud, cybersecurity and networking
Before joining Safaricom, Muthua served as Executive Head of Cloud and Cyber Security at Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a position listed on his profile as beginning in January 2022. He also held the role of Head of Solutions and Corporate Sales at the company, gaining experience in enterprise technology solutions and corporate customer requirements.
His career at Internet Solutions covered cloud and business consulting, product management, product development and solutions architecture. These roles involved technology design, product lifecycle management, partner relationships, service-level agreements and customer-facing solutions.
Muthua’s earlier experience was rooted in network engineering and technical support. As a solutions architect, he worked on wide area networks (WAN), multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and network security. He had previously supported corporate customers, maintained network equipment and servers, and participated in data centre design and implementation.
His career progression spans technical support, network architecture, product management and executive leadership, giving him experience across the development and commercial delivery of enterprise technology services.
Safaricom’s enterprise technology business
Muthua’s appointment comes as Safaricom continues to develop services for businesses beyond traditional connectivity. The company has established offerings in cloud computing, cybersecurity and IoT, targeting enterprise and public-sector customers.
Safaricom outlined its expansion into these areas in March 2022, with applications including data storage, disaster recovery, fleet management and remote asset tracking. Its enterprise portfolio has since included cloud infrastructure, managed security services and connected-device solutions for sectors such as transport, utilities and supply-chain management.
Cybersecurity is another part of the company’s enterprise offering. Safaricom Business has promoted managed security services, including a Managed Security Operations Centre designed to support enterprise threat monitoring and response.
The three areas covered by Muthua’s new role intersect across this portfolio. Cloud infrastructure supports business applications and data workloads, cybersecurity protects systems and information, while IoT connects physical assets to communications networks and digital platforms.
Managed SD-WAN provides a glimpse of his new role
Safaricom Business launched a managed SD-WAN service on October 8, targeting organisations that need to manage connectivity across multiple branches and locations. The service uses software-defined networking to coordinate connections across different access technologies, with centralised management and security capabilities.
Safaricom’s offering uses Huawei technology and provides service packages with varying security features. Equipment for some enterprise networking deployments can reach KSh10 million to KSh15 million, depending on the configuration and requirements.
The service illustrates the relationship between connectivity, network management and security in enterprise technology. It also provides an early example of the business environment in which Muthua will operate at Safaricom, where companies need reliable links between branch offices, cloud applications and business systems.
A continuing focus on cloud computing
Muthua has previously spoken publicly about cloud adoption in Africa. In an August 2022 interview with TechTrendsKE, while serving at Liquid Intelligent Technologies, he discussed Kenya’s and the continent’s readiness to participate in the global cloud economy.
That background connects his previous work to his responsibilities at Safaricom, where cloud services form part of a wider enterprise technology portfolio alongside cybersecurity and IoT.
His appointment brings experience in network infrastructure, cloud services, security and product development to Safaricom’s technology leadership. The precise scope of his responsibilities and any changes to the company’s organisational structure have not been publicly established.
Real ESG impact doesn’t happen in panels alone, it happens in the rooms where financiers, operators, and policymakers actually align. Our GreenShift Forum 2026 cuts the noise, bringing together the people rewiring Africa’s sustainability and energy frameworks for one focused day in Nairobi. Secure your seat.
Go to TECHTRENDSKE.co.ke for more tech and business news from the African continent and across the world.
Follow us on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter, and Facebook, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any future updates. Send tips to info@techtrendsmedia.co.ke
