Uasin Gishu county government has reaffirmed its commitment to harnessing the transformative potential of technology for operational excellence in service delivery.
Speaking during state of the county address to enumerate the achievements his administration has made for a period of one year in office, governor Jonathan Chelilim pointed out that Information, Communication, and Technology are the catalysts of progress in the digital age and that the power of ICT has become a force of progress in our modern world.
“Our journey has been guided by a robust Information Technology governance framework that has enabled us to reshape our County’s digital landscape,” he said.
Chelilim noted that his government has bolstered ICT connectivity and digital support in critical locations such as the County Headquarters, the Nairobi Liaison office, Sub County offices, seven ICT centres, the library, five Sub-County hospitals, and two Ward Offices in a bid to facilitate economic growth and offer better digital services.
The governor further noted that they have established seven structured cabling systems at devolved units and satellite offices to further enhance connectivity, the move which has seen twenty-one offices effectively linked to the County Headquarters through the Internet.
The county also acquired a County Mail System to enhance efficient communication. This system facilitates the exchange of County official emails, contributing significantly to efficiency gains in both internal and external communication.
The move was also extended to the recent acquisition of County Cloud Hosting and Storage Services from Konza Technopolis, aimed at reliable data hosting and ensuring guaranteed access.
“It is time that we all embraced technological advancements in totality. I envision a moment where residents and all officials will be actively engaged in the digital space, even as we seek to shift towards paperless government,” said Chelilim.
In regard to the fulfilment of one of his Nguzo kumi agenda on Digital transformation, the governor underscored that they have successfully installed surveillance cameras in the CBD, ward offices and sub-county hospitals in the ongoing efforts to bolster security.
Additionally, the county established a County Call centre to promote open governance, citizen engagement and public participation.
“This facility shall serve as a platform for citizens to inquire about County information and receive prompt feedback,” he said.
The county also Implemented a robust integrated revenue management system known as “SisiboPay,” while at the same time establishing an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) *764#, a Global System for Mobile (GSM) solution that integrates seamlessly with the SisiboPay System, making it convenient and efficient in payment of services such as parking, land rates, court fines, single business permits among other revenue streams.
“The new revenue system will adopt all modes of payments including bank transfers, MPESA, Airtel money and own wallet, among others to enhance efficiency as we transition to cashless collection of Own Source Revenue,” explained the governor.
Chelilim indicated that the SisiboPay revenue system will be carrying out bank reconciliation every 24 hours, unlike the current system, which takes 7 days, adding that that will enhance accountability and service delivery.
He affirmed that his administration intends to put up 37 public Wi-Fi hotspots and create ICT centres in every ward, so that the youth who form the larger population can maximize their skills in internet usage and gain access to opportunities locally and globally.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
