ICT and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Mr. Eliud Owalo has announced a reduction in the planned timeline for delivering internet connectivity to all parts of the country by a year.
According to Owalo, the delivery of internet connectivity, initially scheduled for 2027, will now be realized by 2026.
CS Owalo said Kenya Kwanza administration has revised the internet connectivity timelines based on the progress made over the last year and the significant role ICT plays in delivering the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Owalo stated that the nationwide internet connectivity initiative received a boost after the Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy partnered with Kenya Power Company. Under this partnership, 100 thousand kilometers of fiber optic cable will be rolled out using the existing Kenya Power infrastructure instead of being laid underground.
“We changed our initial plans where we were digging to lay the fibre optic cable, we are now using the Kenya power transmission lines which means that everywhere where there is electricity, we will equally have internet,” the CS said.
During the launch of two digital hubs at Bondo Technical Training Institute and Gobei Secondary School in Siaya County, the ICT and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary stated that nationwide connectivity would accelerate the uptake of government digitalized services, digital jobs, and e-commerce by members of the public.
“Today as we speak, we have over sixteen thousand government services available on E-citizen and you can transact government business from the comfort of where you are without having to visit a government office while at the same time over 25 thousand hotspots are being set up in our markets to promote E –commerce and boost profits for our traders,” Owalo said.
The CS also noted that over 200 digital hubs have already been set up in TVET and TTIs nationwide, while 390,000 youths have been trained on ICT skills.
He further disclosed that 139,000 digital jobs have been created in the last year.
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“The digital space is a game-changer, and it’s the only space where we have an abundance of opportunity for our youth to exploit their full potential. As a government, we project that within the next two years, we will create a minimum of 2 million jobs on digital platforms,” said Owalo.
The CS stated that the government is determined not only to establish digital hubs in institutions but also to work with local leaders to ensure that hubs are established in every ward for the benefit of community members.
“I am happy that members of parliament have already undertaken a revision of the NG CDF Act that will allow them to set up facilities which we will deploy the devices. Our role as the government will now be to ensure connectivity, deploy devices, facilitate training and connecting the youth to jobs in the digital platform,” Owalo remarked.
The CS urged members of the public to demand digital hubs from their county assemblies, as MCAs are expected to collaborate with their MPs to ensure that these crucial facilities are established in their wards.
“Please demand for digital hubs from your MCAs because each of them should work with the area MP to set up one in each ward. This is for the benefit of the youth and the community at large,” Owalo implored.
