Government set to manufacture digital mobile phones

Nairobi

Monday July 31, 2023

KNA by Bernadette Khaduli

Plans are at an advanced stage for Kenya to commence the production of low-cost digital telephone gadgets and other digital devices in the country.

The assembling of the phones and related gadgets is still ongoing, a production that will be undertaken by the private sector.

Information, Communications and the Digital Economy (Cabinet Secretary ( CS), Eliud Owalo, said his Ministry has been assured that the first batch of the affordable smart mobile phones that will be rolled out in the market at a cost of about USD 40.00 per unit, will be ready this year.

Owalo said the government has partnered with the private sector to enable people who cannot afford smart phones, access the affordable devices that can make them do transactions and make calls for businesses, in line with the bottom-up economic strategy.

The CS made the remarks at a Nairobi hotel, Monday, when presenting a Report to stakeholders and partners in the digital technology sector on the One-Year Score Card Status Report of the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, its achievements and what it plans to undertake in its second year.

He at the same time announced that his Ministry has already constituted a multi-agency technical committee on digital identity (ID), to work on modalities for operationalization of the system, as per the directives of President, Dr. William Ruto, who wants the same in operation by February 2024.

The CS said the Ministry has also embarked on the establishment of a National Contact Centre, a central point where citizens will interact with the government across various channels, through digital methods of communication such as social media, messaging, email and online chats.

“The Ministry is currently piloting a contact centre that provides service to all citizens by dedicated contact centre officers, who will provide 24 hour services on a daily basis, to support citizens seeking to interact with the government,” said Owalo.

He added that citizens seeking services will be connected to officers or log calls on matters of interest, which will be responded to by relevant officers, ministries, departments and agencies.

The contact services have already been piloted by Konza Technopolis in Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo Counties.

The CS said the Ministry while partnering with the private sector players has been able to achieve and surpass the set targets for the period the Kenya Kwanza took over the government, citing the 5,280 km of optic fibre cable that has been connected across the country, surpassing the 5,000kms set target.

“The private sector players who include liquid Telcom, Wananchi Group, Safaricom and Airtel among others have installed 2,500 kms, while the government installed 2,700 kms of optic fibre cable infrastructure,” said Owalo.

He announced that the Ministry in collaboration with other government agencies has also been able to map out all areas where the 100,000 km fiber optic cable, will be rolled-out in the country, adding that the Ministry will optimize on use of already available fiber connectivity of other government agencies.

On the installation and operationalization of public Wi-Fi Hotspots, the CS announced that the Ministry has connected 421 free public Wi-Fi Hotspots as at July 31st 2023, as per the set target of 94 Hotspots two per County.

“Based on the Ministry’s collaboration with the County Government, 194 of the Wi-Fis have been established in partnership with county governments in markets and county headquarters,” he stated, adding that a total of 14,690 public Wi-Fi hotpots sites have been identified across the country.

The CS at the same time disclosed that, in the one-year review, out of the overall five-year period of having a total of 1,450 digital hubs established, the Ministry has managed to establish and operationalize a total of 174 hubs, where the youth are being equipped with digital skills for digital jobs and entrepreneurship.

He said that the Ministry held consultations with the ICT Committee of the Council of Governors, to work out a framework of setting-up digital hubs within village polytechnics, which can be jointly funded with shared responsibilities between the respective County governments and the Ministry.  

“The County will ensure funding of operational expenditure and the cost of wayleaves, while the Ministry will provide the devices and human resources and source digitally enabled jobs,” said Owalo.

The CS further stated that the government has also signed a funding agreement of USD 570million (approx. 79.8 billion) with World Bank to finance the Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Program, which is aimed at driving digital innovation, create jobs and boost commerce enablers.

He said the Ministry has also negotiated funds worth Sh5billion from the universal service fund to finance the 2,500 km of Fibre Optic Cable Digital Super Highway in at least 19 counties that are either unserved or underserved, and towards the digitization of government services.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has so far digitized 5,084 government services surpassing the 5,000 target. The digitization priority sectoral areas include, Health, Lands, Kenya Revenue Authority, Transport, Education, Border control, citizen services and the cabinet.

The event was also attended by the Broadcasting and Telecommunications PS Prof. Edward Kisiang’ani and his ICT counterpart Eng. John Tanui, the Secretary General Kenya of Kwanza Cleophas Malala and Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wesley Rotich among others.

Courtesy ; K. N. A