Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wesley Rotich says the counties are in full support of the national government’s quest for a digital boost.
Governor Rotich who is the Council of Governors’ chairman for ICT and Knowledge Management Committee said the devolved governments recognise ICT as the chief driver of innovation and welcomes all forms of collaboration in achieving it.
Rotich said the counties are keen to leverage on the digital industry to spur socio-economic growth and create opportunities for the youth startups and online jobs.
He added that new technologies can fast-track growth of businesses and economic diversification in the counties.
“We are cognizant of the fact that ICT initiatives will trigger socio-economic transformation of the counties in the not-too-distant future,” he said, adding that counties are exploring technology in order to meet citizens’ expectations.
He said the counties are committed to the adoption of ICT initiatives and its applications in all sectors of the economy in the hope of attracting more investors to the grassroots.
Rotich noted that ICT has impacted much on the development in the country especially in the economy.
He noted that devolved units have been switching to digital technology to drive revenue collection and ‘curb every form of revenue leakage in the counties.
“The 47 devolved units are investing heavily in the ICT sector in order to automate revenue management and enhance public service delivery especially in the areas of healthcare and agriculture,” he said, adding that counties will continue to leverage and take advantage of the digital space.
He said the counties are deploying ICT in the areas of land administration, finance, and ICT hubs and jobs portal for the youth among others.
Governor Rotich revealed that the counties have fully embraced ICT technologies in revenue management solutions to seal corruption loopholes inherent in the public financial systems.
Rotich was speaking at the Diamonds Leisure Beach and Golf Resort in Kwale county when he addressed the ICT Connected Summit 2023 running under the theme ‘Digital Economy: “Endless Opportunities Shaping Our Future”.
The annual Connected Summit is a gathering of regional and global ICT industry leaders, policymakers, executives, financiers, and innovators.
Rotich said digital technology is increasingly being used to deploy essential services closer to the people, especially those living in remote and far-flung areas.
“County governments are tapping into the abundant opportunities in the ICT sector to help accelerate efforts to reduce unemployment, poverty and ignorance,” said Rotich.
The ICT Authority Chief Executive Officer Stanley Kamanguya who was present noted that the ongoing connected summit aligns with two key pillars of the digital superhighway and creative economy.
Kamanguya said that the ICT authority is inclined to drive innovation, collaboration, and digital empowerment ultimately forging a path toward a brighter future for Kenya’s digital economy.
He urged the counties to embrace new technologies for quality and effective delivery of public service as it serves as the engine that drives public and private businesses.
By Hussein Abdullahi
