Government is in the process of digitalizing 9,500 government services by the end of this year, ICT and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo has said.
He said going forward, it is imperative to run a paperless government.
“When we came into government, we only had a meagre 350 services on the e-citizen platform. Today, we have taken over that facility and we have gone ahead and boarded a total of 5,200 services as of this morning,” the CS said.
The CS said by the end of the year the government would have digitalized all the 9,500 government services that have been identified for possible digitalization at the level of both National and County government, noting that the National government is working in tandem with Counties by way of cooperation, partnership and consultations, as is enshrined in the Constitution.
The CS was speaking Saturday at Asumbi Girls School in Rangwe Constituency, Homabay County, after the launch of the Jitume digital skills laboratory at the school.
Jitume Kazi programme is an initiative under the Konza innovation environment aimed at providing the youth with access to digital services, digital skills and digital opportunities to enable them to take advantage of technology for job creation.
The CS said the digital laboratories being set up are just one of the integral components of Kenya’s digital superhighway, describing the labs as one of the few initiatives that the Kenya Kwanza government is introducing in the market so that they can transform Kenya into a digital economy.
He said the Kenya Kwanza Administration, under the leadership and tutelage of the President, Dr. William Ruto, is deliberately and consciously determined to turn Kenya into a digital economy.
Owalo said the government is setting up Jitume Kazi digital labs for two purposes.
“One, we want our youth, especially the girl child, to be digitally skilled and two, we want our youth to leverage technology for purposes of digital skills since, currently, the number of common jobs or white-collar jobs we have is limited,” the CS pointed out.
He noted that there is enormous potential in the digital space by way of digital jobs, saying the government is determined to alleviate the unemployment challenge in the country through digitization.
The CS said that to support digitalization, the government is rolling out fibre connectivity to all parts of the country that had not been connected before.
The CS, who earlier on Saturday launched Tujitume labs in Ng’iya and Lwak Girls in Siaya County, said the government is also setting up digital laboratories in villages, saying the youth need not loiter in the villages.
He said in each and every ward, the government is going to set up a digital lab so that our mothers and sisters can acquire digital skills.
“Most important, we are connecting a total of 25,000 free WI-FI hotspots, spread evenly all over the country, starting with markets and bus terminals, where the youth are usually domiciled, so that we can have access to free internet for purposes of free e-commerce,” the CS said.
On Jitume Labs, CS Owalo encouraged girls to take digital training seriously, saying it is the future of the world.
“You have to be patient, persistent, consistent and pursue digital training to logical conclusion,” he said.
The CS was accompanied by Florence Bore, CS for Labour and Social Protection; William Oduol, Deputy Governor Siaya County; Dr. Evans Kidero, Former Nairobi Governor and CAS nominee; Elizabeth Ongoro, former Nominated Senator; Rose Nyamumbo, Chairperson, Teleposta Corporation; Jared Kopiyo, Chairperson, Sony Sugar Company; Suba South Legislator; Caroli Omondi, Rangwe Deputy County Commissioner (DCC); Madam Alfet Jilo, among others.
By Moseti Julius
