The Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) has set up a 40-terabyte storage facility to accommodate data collected from the coming National Population and Housing Census slated for the weekend.
ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru told a joint ministerial media briefing ahead of the exercise that at least 3 terabytes were required to store information collected through data capture kits deployed across the country.
Mucheru who assured Kenyans that all was set for the historical event in Nairobi was flanked by Interior counterpart Dr. Fred Matiangi and Treasury colleague Ukur Yatani durimng the presser.
He guaranteed Kenyans that their data will be safe adding that plans were underway to use locally manufactured materials as a security measure
The CS stated that by using locally assembled gadgets and software, the management of the data will be within their control, adding that they have also created data center which will be under consistent monitoring.
“No one, not even the enumerators will be able to change our data. No data will also be lost because we have adequate and sufficient data storage,” the CS said. Assuring Kenyans that the data needed in the census are fairly different from those gotten from Huduma number process.
Mucheru was categorical that only the Government Spokesperson Rtd. Col. Cyrus Oguna and KNBS Director General will be the only ones mandated to give briefs on the ongoing census activity.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics will for the first time undertake an electronic data collection system at a costing of18.5 billion.
The CS stated that the computer software to be used has already been designed, developed and tested and is ready for use come 24th.
Moi University and the Jomo Kenya University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) will assemble 164,700 data-capture devices at the cost of Sh15, 000 each.
By Alice Gworo
