Plans to set up a center of excellence for digital innovation by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy (MICDE) are in advanced stages.
The digital hub estimated to cost Sh 26 million will be established at Ahero Multipurpose Development Training Institute in Nyando, Kisumu County.
Speaking during the site handover and groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday, the Assistant Director ICT, MICDE, Geoffrey Omwenga, disclosed that the ICT model hub seeks to elevate digital knowledge and provide online employment opportunities.
Omwenga, who represented the ICT Secretary for Infrastructure, Washington Oduor at the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy, noted that the initiative was part of the national government’s plan to establish about 100 digital centers of excellence countrywide.
“Apart from the 100 centers of excellence, the government intends to establish an additional 1,450 Jitume Digital Hubs in all the wards nationally in a bid to position Kenya as a key player in the global digital economy,” the official stated.
The project is being implemented by Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) in conjunction with Communication Authority (CA) with the construction phase expected to be complete within two and a half months.
The modern hub, Omwenga noted, is part of the Kenya Kwanza administration plan to fulfill the digital superhighway and creative economy agenda as envisaged in the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The high end hub will include a boardroom, computer laboratories, office spaces, and a Huduma Center unit.
After construction, he added, the national government will equip the center with computers, internet connectivity, ICT training, and digital job linkages. The center will be open to the public to enable everyone to acquire digital skills.
Kisumu County Commissioner, Benson Leparmorijo, on his part lauded the actualization of the project terming it a game changer in enhancing WiFi connectivity in remote areas.
“Our youths will be the first ones to benefit from the digital jobs and the free access to faster internet connection. With most government services automated, the center will offer locals a better opportunity to enjoy these services with minimal travelling and at low cost,” Leparmorijo underscored.
The CC further emphasized on the need for locals to own the project and support the implementation exercise in order for the desired results to be achieved.
By Robert Ojwang’
