Bill to overhaul Kenya’s fragmented addressing system gains momentum in Parliament

‎The proposed National Addressing Bill, 2025, has gained significant traction after MPs and stakeholders held extensive consultations aimed at creating a unified national addressing system to replace Kenya's fragmented location referencing framework.

‎The Bill, sponsored by Kiambu MP Machua Waithaka, seeks to establish national addressing standards to support e-commerce, emergency response services, security operations and efficient public service delivery.

‎Speaking during a stakeholder review forum Friday, the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation chairman John Kiarie said Kenya has long lagged in developing an integrated national addressing system.

‎"As a country, we should have reached a point where we are clear about how we handle our addressing system," Kiarie said, noting that the proposed law remains at a formative stage ahead of public participation and second reading in Parliament.

‎He said the proposal touches on several sectors, including information and communication technology, security, housing, land planning and road infrastructure.

‎Mwala MP Erastus Kivasu described the Bill as a timely intervention that could provide a clear roadmap for a modern addressing system capable of supporting economic growth.

‎"This is a timely legislative proposal whose time has now come. We have work to prioritise and ensure its implementation, creating a clear roadmap for the country's addressing system for prosperity," Kivasu said.

‎While stakeholders broadly endorsed the Bill's objectives, sharp differences emerged over its proposed governance structure.

‎Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke revealed that efforts to establish a national addressing framework have stalled for nearly a decade despite discussions under three successive administrations.

‎Although supporting the concept, the State Department opposed a proposal to create a standalone National Addressing Council, describing it as a potential obstacle to implementation.

‎The ministry, backed by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), the Council of Governors and other agencies, argued that creating a new entity would contradict the government's policy of reducing and consolidating public agencies to cut costs.

‎Instead, stakeholders proposed a centralised but devolved governance structure anchored within existing institutions.

‎CA Director General David Mugonyi said the authority was best placed to coordinate the system because of its existing mandate under the Kenya Information and Communications Act and its role in developing technical standards.

‎"The important task for this Committee is to establish a legal framework that ensures efficient implementation, while the Authority is uniquely positioned to serve as the national custodian and coordinator of the addressing system," Mugonyi said.

‎Government departments responsible for security, housing, lands and roads also backed the proposal, describing a standardised address database as critical national infrastructure.

‎Deputy Chief State Counsel Prisca Wambui from the Interior Ministry said the system would improve emergency response, disaster management and administrative efficiency but called for strong safeguards to protect personal data.

‎Officials from the State Department for Housing and Urban Development said the framework must be integrated into county spatial planning systems to prevent unplanned urban growth, while the Lands department noted that accurate geospatial identification would improve land registration and management.

‎Roads officials said standardised street naming and classification would enhance infrastructure planning, improve investment decisions and help identify accident black spots.

‎Defending the Bill, Waithaka said Kenya's dependence on informal location sharing through digital pins highlights the absence of a structured addressing system.

‎Drawing from his academic experience in Texas, United States, he noted that organised address systems are essential for trade and logistics.

‎He cited concerns previously raised by Alibaba founder Jack Ma regarding Kenya's lack of a formal addressing framework and said global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon rely heavily on accurate location systems.

‎Waithaka added that the Postal Corporation of Kenya could significantly expand its last-mile delivery business if neighbourhood postal codes and structured addresses were fully implemented.

‎Isiolo South MP Tubi Mohammed Tubi welcomed the proposal, expressing optimism that it would streamline the country's rapidly growing logistics sector.

‎Nominated MP Joyce Bensuda called for clear implementation, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and proposed integrating the addressing infrastructure into the education sector to improve school tracking and capitation management.

‎Moiben MP Benard Kitur urged the adoption of modern technologies to improve efficiency, while Isiolo Woman Representative Mumina Bonaya raised concerns about data security and encroachment on access roads that could complicate implementation.

‎The committee is expected to incorporate stakeholders' recommendations, including proposals to separate street-naming responsibilities from address data management, before the Bill proceeds to public participation and further parliamentary consideration.