Ask a lawyer:
is a contract signed on computer legit?

mwakili.com

Short answer (Kenya):
Yes, a contract that is signed on a computer can be perfectly legal and enforceable in Kenya – but the way it is signed, and the type of contract, matter a lot.

1. Legal sources I am relying on

Acts & key sections

Kenya Information and Communications Act (KICA), Cap 411A
- Part VIA – Electronic Transactions
- Section 83J – Formation and validity of contracts (electronic messages and contracts) (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
- Section 83P – Legal recognition of electronic signatures (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
- Section 83B – Application / exclusions (wills, negotiable instruments, etc.) (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
Evidence Act, Cap 80
- Section 78A – Admissibility of electronic and digital evidence (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
- Sections 106A–106I – Electronic records and electronic signatures (especially 106F–106G on electronic agreements and signatures) (sherloc.unodc.org ↗)
Law of Contract Act, Cap 23
- Section 3(3) and (6) – Contracts for disposition of interests in land; definition of “sign” (now includes advanced electronic signature) (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
Business Laws (Amendment) Act, No. 1 of 2020
- Amended Law of Contract Act, Land Registration Act, Registration of Documents Act, Survey Act, etc., to recognise electronic signatures and advanced electronic signatures. (mman.co.ke ↗)
Electronic Certification & Domain Name Regulations under KICA – on Certification Service Providers (CSPs) that issue advanced electronic signatures. (dlapiperafrica.com ↗)

Case law

Ngeno & 3 others v County Government of Bomet & 2 others [2025] KEHC 3758 (KLR) – High Court refused to strike out an affidavit because it had been signed digitally; the respondents argued “there is no law recognising digital signatures”, but the court declined to treat the digital signature as automatically invalid and emphasised lack of proof of fraud and the need to decide matters on their merits. (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)

Useful commentaries (not law but persuasive/explanatory)

Koya & Co., Ndikimi & Co., MMC Asafo, etc., on electronic contracts and signatures in Kenya. (hg.org ↗)

2. General rule: electronic contracts and signatures are recognised

Under Kenyan law today:

A contract is not invalid just because it is electronic (email, online form, PDF signed on a computer, etc.).
- KICA s.83J says: if an offer and acceptance are expressed by electronic messages, the contract **“shall not be denied validity or enforceability” solely because an electronic message was used. (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
A declaration of intent between two parties cannot be denied legal effect just because it’s electronic (e.g. WhatsApp, email). (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
The Evidence Act confirms that electronic messages and digital material are admissible in court, and that courts can treat an electronic record of an agreement (with electronic signatures) as a valid agreement. (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)

So, in principle, yes: a contract that the parties sign or conclude on a computer is “legit”, provided that the normal ingredients of a contract are there (offer, acceptance, intention to be bound, capacity, lawful purpose, consideration).

3. Electronic signature vs advanced electronic signature (important distinction)

Kenyan law recognises two main categories:

Electronic signature (basic)
- Defined in KICA as data in electronic form affixed to or associated with other data, and used to identify the signatory and indicate approval.
- Examples:
  - Typing your name at the end of an email;
  - Clicking “I accept” on a website, with your name and email captured;
  - Drawing a signature on a screen with your finger or stylus;
  - Pasting a scanned image of your handwritten signature into a PDF. (dlapiperafrica.com ↗)
Advanced electronic signature
- A more secure, technical form. Under KICA, it must:
  - be uniquely linked to the signatory;
  - be capable of identifying the signatory;
  - be created under the sole control of the signatory;
  - be linked to the data so that any change is detectable. (cms.law ↗)
- Practically, this is usually a digital signature issued by a licensed Certification Service Provider (CSP), similar to DocuSign/Adobe Sign but under Kenyan or recognised foreign regulation. (dlapiperafrica.com ↗)

Why this matters:

KICA s.83P says: where a law requires a document to be signed, that requirement is deemed satisfied if it is authenticated by an advanced electronic signature. (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
Recent commentary (2025) is clear that on documents where the law insists on a “signature”, only an advanced electronic signature is treated as the full legal substitute for wet‑ink. (mmcasafo.com ↗)

So:

For “formal” contracts with statutory signing requirements (e.g. contracts to sell land, certain registrable documents), the safest route is an advanced electronic signature.
For ordinary contracts where the law does not insist on a particular form, a basic electronic signature or even clear email acceptance can still create a binding contract – though it may be harder to prove if disputed.

4. Exceptions: when a computer‑signed contract is not enough

KICA excludes some areas from the electronic regime:

Wills, codicils, testamentary trusts – still need the traditional formalities, not e‑signatures.
Negotiable instruments – e.g. cheques, promissory notes.
(new.kenyalaw.org ↗)

Also, in practice:

Land and registrable interests:
- The 2020 amendments allow use of electronic/advanced electronic signatures in land instruments and recognise electronic registries. (mman.co.ke ↗)
- BUT:
  - The Law of Contract Act s.3(3) still requires contracts for the disposition of an interest in land to be in writing, signed by the parties and attested by a witness. That “sign” definition now includes advanced electronic signatures. (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
  - Practice on the ground can lag behind the law; many registries still prefer or insist on wet‑ink signatures for certain land documents. (dlapiperafrica.com ↗)

Bottom line on exceptions:
For wills, cheques, and some land/title documents, do not rely on a casual computer signature without talking to an advocate. The law is stricter there.

5. Evidence and court treatment of computer‑signed contracts

The Evidence Act provides:

Electronic and digital evidence is admissible (s.78A). (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
The court may presume that:
- an electronic agreement showing the parties’ electronic signatures was concluded by affixing their digital signatures (s.106F);
- a secure electronic record has not been altered, and a secure electronic signature was affixed with intent to sign (s.106G). (sherloc.unodc.org ↗)

And:

To check if an electronic signature really belongs to someone, the court can order that person or the CSP to produce the electronic signature certificate, and/or have it verified using the certificate’s procedure. (s.106D). (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)

Case example – Ngeno v County Government of Bomet [2025]:

Respondents argued that an affidavit with a digital signature was defective and should be struck out, claiming there was no law recognising digital signatures. (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
The court:
- Noted that there was no evidence of fraud;
- Recognised that KICA authorises use of digital signatures;
- Refused to strike out the affidavit simply because it had been signed digitally, stressing that striking pleadings out is “draconian” and there was no prejudice shown. (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)

This shows Kenyan courts are increasingly willing to accept digitally signed documents, provided authenticity isn’t in doubt.

6. Different ways of “signing on a computer” – how strong are they?

Here’s how Kenyan law would generally view common methods (assuming no special statutory form is required):

Typing your name at the bottom of an email (“I accept your offer, [Name]”)
- Can create a binding contract if all other elements are present.
- Recognised under KICA s.83J – contract not invalid because formed by electronic message. (new.kenyalaw.org ↗)
Clicking an “I agree” button / tick‑box online
- Widely treated as a valid expression of consent, especially if the system keeps logs (IP address, time, email).
- Meets the idea of an “electronic signature” (data used to identify you and show approval). (dlapiperafrica.com ↗)
Pasting a scanned handwritten signature into a PDF
- This is an electronic signature but not an advanced one.
- For ordinary contracts, usually fine as evidence of agreement.
- For formal documents where the law insists on a “signature” (e.g. land contract under s.3(3) Law of Contract Act), commentary warns that a mere scanned image does not meet the advanced electronic signature criteria, so it may be risky to rely on it alone. (dlapiperafrica.com ↗)
Signing on a tablet or trackpad (stylus/finger)
- Very similar to signing on paper; treated as an electronic signature.
- Again, fine for most ordinary contracts; for highly formal documents, better to have an advanced e‑signature or wet‑ink.
Using a recognised digital‑signature platform (DocuSign, Adobe Sign, a licensed Kenyan CSP, etc.)
- If the platform is a licensed CSP or recognised foreign CSP under Kenyan regulations, the signature can qualify as an advanced electronic signature. (dlapiperafrica.com ↗)
- This is the strongest and safest form if you want your computer‑signed contract to stand in place of a traditional “wet‑ink” signature where the law demands signing.

7. So, is your computer‑signed contract “legit”?

In Kenyan law, most likely yes, if:

The normal contract ingredients are present (offer, acceptance, intention, capacity, lawful purpose, consideration);
Both parties clearly intended to be bound by that electronic document;
The law does not put your contract in a special category that requires strict formalities (wills, negotiable instruments, some land/title documents).

For extra safety, especially where the law does require signatures:

Use an advanced electronic signature via a reputable, legally compliant provider;
Add a clause in the contract saying:

“The parties agree that this agreement may be signed electronically and that such electronic signatures shall be treated as equivalent to original handwritten signatures.”
Keep good electronic records (full email threads, platform audit trails, server logs).

8. Helpful links (for you to read the laws yourself)

Evidence Act (Cap 80), Kenya Law:
  https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/1963/46

Kenya Information and Communications Act (Cap 411A), Kenya Law:
  https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/1998/2

Law of Contract Act (Cap 23), Kenya Law:
  https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/1960/43

Ngeno & 3 others v County Government of Bomet & 2 others [2025] KEHC 3758 (KLR):
  https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/kehc/2025/3758

9. I’d like to clarify your specific situation

To give you a more precise answer on your contract, it would help if you could say:

What kind of contract is it?
- e.g. employment contract, service agreement, online terms & conditions, loan, sale of land, lease, guarantee, etc.
How exactly was it “signed on computer”?
- Typed name in an email?
- Clicking “I accept” on a platform?
- Scanned signature on a PDF?
- Digital‑signature platform (e.g. DocuSign/Adobe Sign or a Kenyan e‑signature solution)?
Are both parties in Kenya, or is it cross‑border?
- For cross‑border deals, we sometimes also have to look at the other country’s laws.

If you share those details (you can redact any personal names/figures), I can walk you through how strong/enforceable that particular contract is, and what practical steps you might take to strengthen your position.