Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary (CS), William Kabogo, has announced a plan to provide digital device financing loans for youth to purchase laptops and other accessories to seize digital job opportunities.
Kabogo affirmed that the plan to construct digital hubs across 1450 wards is on course to complement the 290 constituencies’ digital innovation hubs that are being implemented in partnership with Members of Parliament.
The CS made the remarks when he graced the graduation ceremony of 103 youth who were trained for six months in web designing and computer packages at the Swahilipot Hub, Mombasa.
Kabogo was impressed by the digital literacy programme implemented by the Hub with the assistance of Information Technology students from the neighbouring universities.
He lauded the Swahilipot hub for equipping youth with digital skills in conjunction with the government.
To bolster the programme and double the number of beneficiaries, the CS promised to deliver 50 computers to the hub.
Kabogo and his Mining counterpart Hassan Joho contributed Sh200,000 each to pay stipends to the tutors.
“We should use this place as a centre of training so that this idea can be replicated by Kenyans themselves, and the government would offer machine loans so that you can come and graduate here and go to your peers in the village to transfer skills,” said the CS.
The CS noted that the youth would no longer need to migrate to the urban centers as the loan would enable them to work remotely.
Kabogo also revealed that only 50 per cent of the 25,000 free public Wi-Fi hotspots are operational, attributing their limited availability to the lack of a sustainability plan.
“We are now discussing as a Ministry on how Kenyans themselves, the young boys and girls, will take over these hotspots and run them themselves for a small fee of about Sh5 so that they can be reliable and continue to work,” stated Kabogo.
On his part, Joho said the country has been yearning for the digital trajectory for the youth to earn a living.
The Mining CS said they would collaborate with the Ministry of Information Communications and The Digital Economy to create an enabling environment for the youth to better their lives and seek opportunities to help in nation-building.
Joho challenged the youth to embrace entrepreneurship for self-sustenance and development, leveraging technology and internet connectivity.
Swahilipot Hub Executive Director Mahmoud Noor hailed the partnership with the Ministry of Information.
Noor suggested that the Affordable Housing Programme should have community spaces for digital literacy hubs to be set up.
By Sadik Hassan
