ICT secretary Joe Mucheru. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU
By JAMES KARIUKI
In Summary
ICT secretary Joe Mucheru has said the ongoing
digital infrastructure upgrade will triple the number of IT
professionals in Kenya and boost adoption of e-government across all
ministries.
He said more online jobs will be created once all government departments embrace e-platform.
The platform will also make information on health,
agriculture and investment readily available for quick decision, the
minister said last week.
He spoke at the Kenya School of Government when he
ushered in 400 management trainees currently enrolled in the 12-month
Presidential Digital Talent Programme (PDTP) that is jointly managed by
private sector players.
Spear-head adoption
Mr Mucheru said that ICT staff in government would
also spearhead adoption of ICT in the counties where county governments
are currently involved in laying infrastructure for both Wi-Fi and
broadband services.
“Think of sun-dried tomatoes being imported to
Kenya from Spain. Why can’t Kenyans do the same knowing too well we have
the kind of sun unrivalled by many? It is up to us to think of the
impact we shall have on Kenyans’ lives when we join government and speed
up the process of making all government processes digital,” he said.
He welcomed the public and the private sector
partnership saying it would inculcate a working culture among ICT and
engineering graduates from local universities.
“Kenya is currently riding on global events that
have brought presidents, prime ministers and billionaire businesspeople
to its soil.
It just shows the potential Kenya has in reaping
from this new found fame that has every notable person in the world keen
in coming,” he said.
Mr Mucheru said that Kenya’s Vision 2030 would be
achieved at a much faster pace if it prepared young people with digital
skills thereby helping to power a knowledge based economy.
The PDTP is a 12 month ICT management trainee programme for ICT and engineering university graduates.
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