July 1st 2019

By Cheruiyot Korir

The government has established a Constituency Innovation Hub (CIH) at the Kiritiri trading center in Mbeere South Constituency in Embu County to provide free internet, training and work spaces to enable the public to access online jobs and information for decision making.

The hub which is a technology center aims to empower the youth to earn decent wages from online work and enable enterprises enhance performance and develop tools to solve complex problems through use of digital platforms.

Mr Mucheru said, as the world embrace ICT, concept of work changes because people will no longer depend on the traditional formal jobs at physical place for employment. The CS said, instead, gig-work would replace the traditional work where individuals work for multiple employers globally in chargeable chunks.

He said digital work is decent, credible, and prestigious like other highly regarded professions. He noted that digital work require skills and ethical values and called on parents and guardians to support their children to acknowledge digital work as authentic. He said digital work is lucrative and supports millions of people around the world.

The Cabinet Secretary said the active involvement of government in encouraging the youth to take up digital work is a guarantee that online work is genuine. He explained that, the government is empowering the youth with skills and knowledge to exploit the millions of jobs available in the digital space.

While launching the project ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru said, “with the use of technology, enterprises will make better decisions, improve marketing and customer support while improving resource management at the same time”.

Mr Mucheru said, the ICT Ministry is working towards the achievement of universal access to technology by formulating policy frameworks that seek to provide accessible and affordable internet. He said the move would increase uptake at all levels and stimulate innovations and investments in ICT.

He added that, the government is also working with service providers to expand internet infrastructure to ensure increased network coverage and at the same time increase access and affordability.

Mr Mucheru noted, that the country has been able to reap the dividends of ICT boom as evident in growth of mobile telephony and mobile money, increase in the number of Internet users and broadcasting services among others. The Area Member of Parliament Mr Joseph Ki’nga’ngi thanked the government for the initiative which he noted will he resolve unemployment among the youth.