By Fredrick Odiero
Principal Secretary State Department for ICT and innovation Jerome Ochieng has lauded the contribution of ICT to the country’s economy.
Speaking during a training of accredited suppliers, contractors and county officials on ICT standards, the PS revealed that Kenya is currently one of Africa’s fastest growing ICT markets.
Ochieng said the ICT sector has increased productivity in all spheres of production and enabled expansion of skills, contributing to improved standards of living for Kenyans.
“The Economic Survey 2021 report provides an overview of the ICT sector performance and development trends. It recognizes that ICT output increased by 2.5% to Ksh 538.3 billion in 2020,” he said.
The forum sought to build capacity and sensitize the accredited government ICT suppliers and contractors on the rationale and framework of the accreditation service that the Ministry, through the ICT Authority, has put in place in line with the set ICT Standards.
Ochieng urged stakeholders to join hands and address challenges that must be overcome so that the country can achieve the goals of the National ICT Policy.
He noted that some of these challenges include the under-utilization of ICTs in the provision of government services and the underdevelopment of opportunities for economic growth and job creation.
Some of the challenges include Cultural and attitudinal resistance to the implementation of ICT-based services and offerings, cybercrime and cyber-security vulnerabilities as well as few ICT competent and skilled human capacity.
Ochieng said the Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs developed the National ICT Policy 2019 and laws that now regulate standards and services in the ICT sector.
“Through the ICT Authority, the Ministry has developed and administered ICT standards that are aimed at rationalizing and streamlining the management of all government of Kenya ICT functions,” he said.
He said the accreditation of government ICT Suppliers, contractors and service providers by the ICT Authority is intended to ensure order in the implementation of ICT services.
He reiterated that government will prioritize award of tenders to Kenyan built solutions as well as new and innovative local businesses to permit greater participation by emerging enterprises and preferentially adopt home grown solutions.
Ochieng lauded President Uhuru Kenyatta for not assenting to the controversial ICT practitioner’s Bill 2020, noting that the Bill was punitive and could have prevented young people from harnessing their talents.
The Bill sought to establish a legal framework for training, registering and licensing the practices and standards of ICT professionals.
The president sent the Bill back to Parliament and asked Parliament to listen to ICT practitioners’ concerns and put them into consideration.
The Bill was passed by Parliament last month, sparking outrage within the ICT community with some lobby groups like Kenya ICT Ecosystem Stakeholders (KIES) petitioning the President not to assent it to law.
The ICT practitioners were concerned that the bill would create an unsupportive environment that would erode the gains the country has made on the innovation side.
Experts argued that the Bill would render practicing IT professionals, who do not meet the proposed requirements, jobless and have negative economic implications. They also criticized it saying it would bar young people from joining the IT industry.
The PS said firms are required to operate with efficiency, credibility, commercial integrity and good corporate governance, provide quality and sustainable service with pluralism of choice to consumers.
He urged the firms to keep abreast with and participate in ICT development both regionally and internationally.
He also urged County governments to invest and promote the adoption of ICT whilst embracing the sharing of infrastructure and enterprise applications for efficiency and transparency.
Ochieng said the partnership and collaboration between the Ministry, ICT Authority, ICT suppliers, contractors and the counties is expected to take the ICT adoption and implementation in Government a notch higher leading to quality service delivery, standardized and harmonized ICT systems and services and increased competitiveness as well as productivity of Kenyan enterprises at the regional, continental and global level.
He thanked the ICT Authority for bringing together the government accredited ICT suppliers, contractors and counties to network and share invaluable knowledge.
“The Authority has played great role in accrediting the Government ICT suppliers, contractors and hence by extension, this Ministry in furthering the policy and regulation space,”he pointed out.
The PS encouraged participants to maximize on the information shared during the forum.
