Kenya, GIZ move to finalise Digital Transformation Centre II deal
Kenya and Germany’s development agency GIZ are moving to finalise the implementation agreements for the second phase of the Digital Transformation Centre (DTC II) programme, after receiving feedback from the National Treasury.
Eng John Tanui, Principal Secretary in the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy, held talks with a delegation from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), led by Dr Christoph Zipfel, programme director for sustainable economic development.
The meeting, held on Tuesday, also introduced Sylvia Lautenbach as the new programme director and acting programme manager for DTC II. She will oversee the programme’s next phase of implementation.
According to Tanui, discussions centred on concluding the implementation agreements and resolving outstanding tax exemption matters that must be settled before the programme can be fully rolled out.
Tax exemptions are a common feature of donor-funded programmes in Kenya. They typically allow goods and services procured for a project to be imported or purchased without certain duties and taxes, and they require approval from the National Treasury.
“Effective international partnerships are critical to accelerating Kenya’s digital transformation agenda and building the institutional capacity needed for a competitive digital economy,” Tanui said.
“The Kenya–Germany partnership remains an important platform for strengthening digital transformation, institutional capacity and the enabling environment for innovation and inclusive economic growth.”
He said both sides had reaffirmed their commitment to the programme’s implementation priorities. The focus now, he added, is on turning the cooperation into “effective implementation and tangible outcomes for Kenya’s digital economy.”
The Digital Transformation Centre is run by GIZ on behalf of the German government. It supports Kenya’s digital economy through collaboration with government, the private sector and start-ups.
The second phase comes as Kenya pursues an ambitious digital agenda anchored on the Digital Master Plan 2022–2032. The plan prioritises digital infrastructure, government services, skills and innovation.
The government has also adopted a national Cloud Policy and the Kenya AI Strategy 2025–2030. An AI and Emerging Technologies Policy and a National Data Governance Policy are under development.
The GIZ talks follow a series of partnerships the ICT ministry has struck to accelerate this agenda. Most recently, Tanui backed the launch of a four-month innovation programme by China Mobile International, the University of Nairobi and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, pairing students with industry mentors.
Germany is one of Kenya’s long-standing development partners, with cooperation spanning sustainable economic development, energy, agriculture and governance alongside digital transformation.
Further details on DTC II’s budget, timeline and specific focus areas are expected once the implementation agreements are signed.
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