According to ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo, the National Government plans to offer 5,000 government services through technological platforms in the upcoming six months.
Owalo stated during the launch of free WiFi, at Ahero Market, On Wednesday, December 28, 2022, that the government wanted to discourage individuals from traveling great distances to seek out services at government offices.
Read:ICT CS Nominee Eliud Owalo’s Plan To Revamp KBC
“We are going to roll out in the next six months, a minimum of 5,000 government services on technological enable platforms,” owalo stated.
Owalo stated that the first stage is to provide internet access for the entire country, which will serve as an anchor for providing government services.
“This is why we are enabling you to have the internet because without the internet you will not be able to transact any business with the government.
According to Owalo, implementing the internet in public spaces like schools, marketplaces, hospitals, and police stations will give young people the tools they need to use technology to go out and find employment for themselves.
He advised young people not to wait for white-collar jobs and instead use the internet to look for employment, citing an example of young adults who were no longer in school and were earning thousands of shillings each month due to their skills in technology.
He asked the county governments to repay the goodwill of the national government by implementing policies that the Kenya Kwanza Government will be responsible for at the county level.
Read: Inside Ruto’s Plan To Create Job Opportunities For Youths Through Tech
This followed Ruto’s back-to-back meetings with key stakeholders in the tech industry including the presidential launch of Kenya’s Innovation Outlook at Nairobi’s Sarit Expo Centre, as well as a two-day high-level talk on technology and innovation, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre(KICC).
According to Owalo, the government is working with both domestic and foreign partners to add 100,000 kilometers to the country’s fiber-optic network.
He claims that the new administration has started providing the public with government-funded internet through state-funded hotspots.
He indicated that the government plans to build Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the ICT and innovation sectors to address all issues within the tech and innovation ecosystems, including training, talent development, placement, and digital job creation.
After Bondo, Ahero Market is the second market in the Nyanza region where the CS has introduced free Wi-Fi to help vendors sell and buy their items online. Other areas include the Wakulima market in Muthurwa Launched on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, as well as the Nairobi City Market on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
