Kenya: Digital Competition As Free Wifi Connection Launched In County
By Staff Writer
Nakuru is officially the third town in Africa to provide free Wifi connection for its residents after Kigali Rwanda and Tswane City in South Africa.
This comes a month after Nakuru County Government and the State House Digital team got into a 200 million shillings project partnership with Infonet Africa to deliver free access to Wifi.
Kinuthia Mbugugua Nakuru Governor said the county would use the free Wifi to connect hospitals and dispensaries in the region to a network of doctors.
“We will now move from providing internet to ensuring better research for our students, proper health for our people, provision of digital libraries and Citizen engagement and feedback in governance, ” he said. “We will position the county as the land of the digital promise”
State House Digital director Denis Itumbi said the free Wifi should be used to empower young people, provide jobs, boost business and ensure innovations and creativity is tapped for the benefit of the people.
“Free Wifi should not be the end, instead this is the start of a new leaf in governance,” said Itumbi.
He also said Free Wifi was a major jubilee promise and it is great to be part of keeping the pledge.
Nakuru County Assembly speaker Susan Kihika, during the launch pledged to use the free Wifi for public participation on county bills, budget and legislation.
“We will be the most progressive county assembly, we will connect our people to our activities,” said Kihika.
Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (PSCU) - Digital had also pledged to design and deliver a website and Android App for Nakuru County, which it unveiled together with the mobile App ‘Sauti Yetu’ and a digital impact centre that will provide a one stop shop to train residents on various uses of the Internet and ensure that the County Government remains responsive to citizens needs.
These aspects of the free Wifi initiative recognize the constitutional demands for citizen engagement. The Impact Center and Citizen Engagement are being done in partnership with Infonet Ideas Un Limited and Africa Creative Hub.
State House has occasionally made major announcements through social media, including President Kenyatta’s official twitter account which is largely relied by the media and Kenyans in getting information.
Information and Communication Technology Fred Matiang’i said that the government was committed to ensure that all ministries and government departments are ICT compliant, in line with the President’s pledge.
State House Digital team together with partner Infonet will now move to Kisumu, which is set to be the second Kenyan town to enjoy the free connection starting May 11 2015.