BY KASSIM ADINASI The country is making huge strides towards creating a digital superhighway with over 500 digital hubs are currently under construction across Kenya, marking a massive leap in the government’s mission to connect every electoral ward to the digital world.
Speaking during an inspection tour in Siaya County, Eng John Tanui, Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy, emphasized that these hubs are a collaboration with the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF).
This partnership was made possible by a recent change in NG-CDF law, allowing Members of Parliament to allocate 3% of funds toward digital infrastructure.
The ultimate goal is to have 1,450 hubs, one for every ward in the country.
This “Digital Superhighway” is a cornerstone of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Beyond the 500 hubs currently in progress, Tanui noted that 300 hubs have already been completed within Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions nationwide.
Eng Tanui first visited Nyamor Centre of Excellence (Rarieda) which is a Sh25 million project, currently 50% complete.
The PS also sojourned Bondo Standard Digital Hub site, which set for construction at a cost of Sh7 million.
“The physical infrastructure for these two projects totals approximately 32 million KES,” Tanui explained. He added that the government is partnering with Kenya Power to ensure these facilities are fully equipped with the utilities needed to function.
