The Government will make use of the existing Kenya Power infrastructure, to take fibre optic cable, to the rural areas, Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication and the Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo, has said.
Owalo said that already, the government has embarked on the programme that will see over 100,000 kilometres of the fibre optic cable laid, as part of the last mile internet connectivity across the country.
He was speaking, today, at Ajigo and Ndori markets in Bondo and Rarieda Sub-counties, respectively where he officially launched a free public Wi-Fi.
“We have changed the model of rolling out the fibre. As opposed to digging trenches to lay fibre, we are going to leverage on the already existing Kenya Power lines, so that as we roll out electricity, we also roll-out fibre using the same lines,” said Owalo, who was flanked by Siaya County Commissioner, Susan Waweru, Bondo Member of Parliament, Dr. Gideon Ochanda, former Rarieda MP, Nicholas Gumbo and former Police Spokesman, Charles Owino, among others.
He said that the Government plans to launch 25,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the country and also launch 1,450 digital hubs in each ward countrywide.
“To sort the question of youth unemployment, we want to establish and operationalize a digital hub in every ward” he said, adding that already, members of Parliament have facilitated the review of the Constituencies Development Fund Act, so that three per cent of the funds, will be used to establish the facilities.
The Cabinet Secretary called on Kenyans to support the Kenya Kwanza Government, to enable it deliver on its mandate, adding that the days of politicking were over.
Owalo said that through the leadership of President Dr.William Ruto, the Government was committed to improvement of infrastructure in the wider Nyanza region.
By Philip Onyango
