‘Digital villages’ to be set up all over Kenya to speed up access to data

Story by NATION correspondent

Publication date: 30 April 2007

The government plans to set up ‘digital villages’ throughout the country, to ease access to information for its citizens.

Information assistant minister Mr Koigi Wamwere said during the weekend that the villages to be set up in all the 210 constituencies, will facilitate easy access to information that would trigger economic development in those areas.

The minister was speaking in Kisumu during the commissioning of the Od Mikayi satellite information centre, where the project by the Government also received a major boost with the approval of a Kenya shillings (Ksh)8 billion grant by the World Bank.

This will see local communities exposed to new technologies such as the internet and SMS banking. 'We intend to roll out the first of these projects in August', said Mr Wamwere. He added, 'The laying of fibre optic cables throughout the country is on course and when completed, Kenyans are going to enjoy the benefits of high speed internet connectivity'.

This initiative is intended to double the number of people having access to such services from 2.7 to 6 million, he said. Also targeted will be telephone subscribers, whose numbers are expected to rise significantly from the current 8.5 million to 15 million before the year ends.

Learning centres 'We also intend to set up E- learning centres in all schools in addition to computerising all Government departments in the country.'

'This will enhance transparency in the running of Government affairs', said the minister.