• Bungoma county has trained 250 youths
• County to invest in high-speed internet
The national government has collaborated with the counties to roll out a programme to encourage the youth to use the internet to create jobs for themselves.
The government started its Ajira campaign in Bungoma on Friday.
ICT CS Joe Mucheru said there are many instances of cybercrime, but the internet can instead be used for good.
He said there are many online jobs.
"The internet is key in our modern world and if used well, it will help in attaining the state's Big Four agenda," Mucheru said.
He said the government is committed to training thousands of youth across the country in ICT sector.
Bungoma governor Wycliffe Wangamati said county governments have been yearning for opportunities to be self-reliant.
"Seventy per cent of our youths across the nine constituencies of Bungoma are unemployed. We want them to use this initiative to help them make money online and earn a living," he said.
He said Bungoma county has trained 250 youths on how to get jobs online.
“As part of our measures to deal with youth unemployment, we are committing considerable resources towards training and building infrastructure that support online work,” Wangamati said.
“Specifically, we are budgeting for a County Innovation Hub that will train our youth in mobile applications, digital literacy, web-based applications, cyber security and computer forensics as well as supporting any other online work as envisaged under Ajira."
He said Bungoma will invest in high-speed internet.
Bungoma Deputy Governor Charles Ngome also urged youths to embrace technology as a way of creating job opportunities in Kenya.
"You do not need to work in an office for you to be regarded as employed," he said.
"Many youths have the potential of starting their own online business but stay at home waiting for employment from the government. With everything now depending on the internet, we as the government will try our best to support our youths with the aim of creating more job opportunities."
Currently, Bungoma County has 10 innovation hubs, one in each of the 10 sub-counties.