The National Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation (NACOSTI) convened a crucial meeting with key stakeholders from the Ministry of Interior and National Administration and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Naivasha, Nakuru County, to strengthen research security and regulatory frameworks within Kenya’s Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) sector.
The meeting, held on January 21, 2025, was a side session within the ongoing Module 1 training on STI Mainstreaming in MDAs in rapidly changing time. The training was spearheaded by NACOSTI Director General, Prof. Walter Oyawa. The focus was on reinforcing NACOSTI’s regulatory mandate as outlined in the STI Act, 2013, which mandates researchers to obtain licenses before commencing any studies within Kenya. This critical requirement ensures alignment with national priorities and safeguards public safety.
Prof. Oyawa emphasized the critical need for vigilance in combating unauthorized research activities, citing specific instances such as unapproved food product studies in Makueni and illegal blood sampling in Iten. “Unauthorized research poses significant risks, not just to scientific integrity but also to our national security,” stated Prof. Oyawa, underscoring the potential consequences of unregulated research.
Discussions also centered on compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), highlighting its crucial role in mitigating biological threats. Participants were urged to maintain vigilance and foster collaboration to uphold both national and international security standards.
The meeting concluded with a call for enhanced partnerships between academia, research institutions, and the security sector. Key recommendations focused on strengthening collaboration and capacity building. These included sensitizing and training security personnel on research compliance, establishing multi-agency collaborations at the county level to foster local coordination and response capabilities, utilizing real-time communication tools such as WhatsApp to facilitate rapid information sharing and enhance communication among stakeholders, and providing training on cybersecurity and the detection of chemical and biological threats to enhance the capacity to identify and respond to potential threats.
NACOSTI encouraged counties to nominate additional focal persons and champions to serve as liaisons for research regulation and security at the local level. The importance of collaboration with the Principal Secretary for Interior was also highlighted as essential for effective information dissemination across all counties and sub-counties.