Kanono Ramashamole
SPEAKER

Kanono Ramashamole

Principal Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation (MICSTI), Kingdom of Lesotho

Mr. Kanono Ramashamole serves as Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation of the Kingdom of Lesotho, where he leads the Ministry's strategic direction across digital governance, information and communications technology policy, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the national digital transformation agenda. As the Ministry's chief accounting officer and senior negotiator, he oversees both domestic policy implementation and Lesotho's engagement in international digital governance fora.

He chairs the Universal Service Fund Board of Trustees and represents Lesotho across the African Union, the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations system, and the Southern African Development Community on matters of digital governance, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence policy, and Digital Public Infrastructure.

A consistent advocate for inclusive and rights-based Digital Public Infrastructure, Mr. Ramashamole has championed the integration of safeguards for children within national DPI design, aligning Lesotho's efforts with the 50-in-5 DPI Campaign, the Smart Africa Alliance, and UNICEF's DPI Safeguards for Children. His work emphasises foundational digital identity, interoperability, and data protection frameworks that are secure, equitable, and protective of vulnerable populations.

Mr. Ramashamole holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Light Current). He combines deep technical expertise as an active software developer with senior public-service leadership at the intersection of national and international digital governance.