The ICT Authority (ICTA) has held a sensitization forum that brought together over 150 accredited suppliers from the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) and delegates from six counties.
The counties represented, which included Marsabit, Samburu, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Kisumu, Uasin Gishu, Busia, Baringo, Nakuru, and Nairobi, took part in the 3rd meeting of ICTA’s economic bloc engagement held at Nakuru after the previous ones held in Nairobi and Kisumu.
Equally, ICT suppliers were trained to build their capacity and improve the standards of their products to ensure a quality supply of ICT goods and services to governments.
The training focused on aligning their businesses to the required ICT standards for better investment opportunities at both the national and county governments.
The suppliers further leveraged ICTA’s forum to showcase their technological solutions for services rendered to the government and also exchanged experiences and knowledge on developments in the sector.
The forum marked ICTA’s third stakeholder engagement in improving ICT standards for suppliers at the national and county government levels. The second forum was held in Kisumu County, where the Lake Region Economic Development Block stakeholders were engaged.
Speaking during the workshop, ICT Authority CEO Mr. Stanley Kamanguya, called on suppliers to comply with the best market standards while offering services in view of giving the government value for money while also improving local product standards.
“We have been able to host 10 counties from this region and close to 200 ICT service providers who we are engaging with here today. The objective for us, first, is to sensitise them around the work that we do to develop ICT standards for people who want to do business with the government in various services,” said Kamanguya.
“The suppliers also need to understand our accreditation framework and the value that they get from accreditation. In this way, we can create a system of trust between government institutions that consume the services and the ICT service providers,” he added.
While rallying the suppliers to use the forum and the networks as a stepping stone towards transforming the sector, Kamanguya noted that compliance with the ICT Standards will help in developing the sector in an orderly manner.
On his part, ICT Authority Ag. Director Programmes and Standards, Mr. Thomas Odhiambo, stressed the need to comply with the ICT Standards and highlighted that the Authority has developed 12 standards that will help streamline goods and service delivery.
“Our dedication to delivering the service will remain unwavering. As an Authority, we have developed 12 ICT standards and would like to urge the suppliers to work with us to ensure compliance, which is critical to driving our digital transformation.”
Speaking at the same event, Baringo County Director for ICT, Mr. Godfrey Chesang, called for collaboration between the national government, county governments, and ICT suppliers in developing the sector.
“ICT is a very necessary element that counties cannot work without. We need to have more synergy and frequent engagements in developing this sector. Let us team up and serve our people seamlessly,” he said.
Nakuru County ICT Director, Mr. Leornard Kirui, explained their challenges, ICT priorities, and opportunities at the county level. He urged the suppliers to familiarise themselves with the ICT opportunities available at the county level.
Tecflax Technical Director, Mr. Ken Mbuvi, one of the suppliers, commended the kind of engagements and urged other suppliers in the ICT sector to ensure compliance for the purpose of getting more business.
“If you get an accreditation, chances are high that you are able to get more business, and your customers get value for what they pay for. Over the years, we have been accredited by the ICT Authority, and the experience has been amazing,” he said.
This year, the ICT Authority released its third review of the ICT Standards for governments, which can be used by suppliers to ensure compliance with the required standards.
During the event, the suppliers were also taken through the challenges faced by the government in budgeting as well as the opportunities available to them.
By Hamdi Buthul
