ICT CS Owalo launches free public Wifi hotspots at Kapsabet Market.

The government is set to establish internet facilities in over 4, 000 rural centers across the country.

In the move to open up the remote areas, the ministry of Information and Communication Authority (ICT) seeks to boost the accessibility of the government digital services set to be initiated the next six months.

Speaking on Thursday while launching the public Wi-Fi at Kapsabet market, Nandi County, the ICT Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eliud Owalo said that the public internet will help in the economic transformation and effective business operation.

“We are investing on internet and digital transformation to better the service provision in all public institutions, and we are committed to ensure efficient delivery on various government initiatives in the line with the bottom-up economic empowerment,” he stated.

In the ongoing public Wi-Fi installations in the country, CS Owalo claimed that 25, 000 routers will be put up in various earmarked locations including market centers, social halls and constituency digital talents centers.

Others include hospitals, universities and youth empowerment hubs.

“The digital programs will help youths to employ digital skills to promote their economic activities and employ sophisticate marketing strategies. And we are expecting the informal sectors to use digital platforms for effective communication and marketing the sectors including farming and bodaboda,” he stated, claiming that the ICT department will promote digital skills and techniques to enhance to attain significant economic impact.

CS Owalo was hosted by locals leaders including Nandi Governor Stephen Sang, Senator Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu), Mp Joses Lelmengit (Emgwen) and Mp Abraham Kirwa for Mosop.

“We expect every government institutions and the county government to offer digital services to the citizens under President William Ruto’s administration. The parking fees, application and renewal of the business licenses must be easily accessible,” urged CS Owalo.

Governor Sang and senator Mandago called upon the government to continue funding digital talent across the counties, claiming to have impacted skills to the youths in the community.

Senator Mandago said that the digital literacy training has elevated farming and fast marketing of the perishable commodities.

“Online marketing has minimize the cost of transportation as the farmers access virtual markets platforms for their produce. The digital skills has help the farmers to integrate internet technology with the farming and they have realized profits and time management,” he stated.