Cabinet Secretary of ICT, Eliud Owalo, has urged all members of the county assembly to ensure the establishment of an ICT hub in each ward to advance the country’s digitisation to the grassroots level.
Owalo stated that the MP has already amended the NG-CDF Act to permit the construction of ICT hubs at the lowest level of government.
“I urge voters to question their MCAs about the ICT hubs as a reminder that the digital dream is being realised nationwide for the benefit of our youth, enabling them to participate in the growing world of technology,” Owalo emphasized.
The Cabinet Secretary noted that the national government’s role will be to deploy devices, train the youth, connect internet cables, and link the youth to digital jobs.
Owalo reported that since the start of digitalization a year ago, over 300,000 youths have been trained, and more than 1,000 digital jobs have been created. He remains optimistic that within the next two years, 2 million digital jobs will be generated.
He further stated that ICT offers abundant job opportunities for the youth to realise their full potential within the country, unlike traditional white-collar jobs.
The CS asserted that job opportunities are readily available with just a click on a computer, eliminating the need to travel abroad and allowing work from the heart of the village.
The ICT expert highlighted that the digital space will be transformative, committing to delivering for the community’s benefit and addressing the lack of job opportunities in the country.
Owalo announced that the initiative will also establish Wi-Fi spots in all market areas to enhance e-commerce opportunities, noting that today’s world does not require physical meetings between buyers and sellers.
“All that will be required is to take a photo of your product, post it online for potential buyers, negotiate prices, and then use a bodaboda for delivery,” Owalo explained.
He mentioned that this development will lead to the deployment of air fibre cables, which will be laid along Kenya Power transmission lines to improve internet accessibility.
The Cabinet Secretary revealed that the timeline for achieving nationwide internet accessibility has been shortened from five years to two years.
“Looking ahead, Kenyans won’t need to physically access government services in offices; we are transforming all government services to enable transactions from the comfort of any location,” Owalo stated.
Owalo confirmed that the digital space will also help curb corruption trends in government offices, which have been prevalent in previous administrations.
He also disclosed a partnership with China to assemble low-cost smartphones in Kenya, providing access to smart-enabled phones for conducting business digitally across the country.
