Day: May 11, 2023

Residents of Githunguri Sub County have a reason to smile following the handing over of an ICT innovation hub at Ikinu PCEA church.

The ICT hub handed over by the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary, Eliud Owalo, will benefit the youth and community in the area.

In January this year, the government promised to establish a digital hub in each of Kenya’s 1,450 wards in an ambitious project to spur digital trade.

Speaking during the handover ceremony at the Ikinu PCEA church, CS Owalo said the hubs would complement the government’s agenda to revolutionize business operations using technology.

The CS noted that the government was committed to providing equal and quality public service technology using digital technology to all citizens.

‘We want to address the situation of high unemployment amongst the youth in the country by rolling out 1450 digital hubs in the villages, where the youth can be trained to acquire the requisite ICT skills, as well as installing 25,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the country.

‘The government has prioritized the integration of ICT into the national development agenda in line with global commitment, and ICT is not just an enabler but also an economic accelerator, especially for the unemployed youth’, he said.

The government target, through the ministry of ICT and digital economy, is planning to digitize 5000 government services by June this year but is currently at 4000, Owalo said.

Kenya, he explained, cannot be left behind, and therefore, through the hubs spread across the country, the youth can also get opportunities online and in the digital space, promising that the government will ensure to link the youth who are tech-savvy with technology firms for employment.

‘Through technology, the ICT sector has the potential for the young people to earn as much as Sh 200,000 salary and through this, they in turn can be able to help in the family,’ the CS said, promising to add another 30 computers to the 10 desktops and five laptops that are available in the Ikinu PCEA church hub.

The ICT Authority CEO, Stanley Kamanguya, said they have identified 4,000 km of fibre and people can now take advantage of the digital hubs.

He urged the youth to take advantage of the hub in terms of training and also challenged them to ensure that they also train their elderly, considering government services will soon go digital.

Kiambu County Executive Committee member in charge of ICT and finance, David Kuria, who was representing Governor Kimani Wamatangi, lauded the move by the national government, saying the project will go a long way in benefiting both the students and the community at large.

He said that partnering with the county and churches has come at the right time as it will ensure rapid development for the youth.

’60 percent of the young people are unemployed, and most are engaging in drug abuse, hindering productivity. Through the hubs, there will be the creation of not only jobs, but our youth will not be idle,’ he said.

Kuria committed that the county governments would also join in and replicate the same innovation hubs in other areas of the county.

In the run-up to the 2022 elections, the Kenya Kwanza team under President Dr. William Ruto featured ICT among the five key result areas that they will prioritize as an enabler and a critical success factor to drive the economy.

To realize the potential of the sector, the government, through the ICT ministry, has committed to implementing the Kenya National Digital Masterplan 2022-32, which has five key pillars to drive the digital transformation agenda.

They are digital infrastructure, digital services and data management, digital skills, digital entrepreneurship, and effective alignment with policy, legal, and regulatory frameworks.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Chief Justice (CJ) Martha Koome has launched the second phase of the Programme for Legal Empowerment and Aids Delivery Programme (PLEAD) to resound in the justice sector by creating ripple change and reforms that will touch the lives of countless Kenyans.

Speaking during the event in Nairobi, the CJ said that PLEAD has been essential in the realization of strategic objectives in the justice sector within collective and individual institutions.

Koome noted that the partnership, with a total investment of EUR 35.3 million, would build on successes achieved during the first phase and support renewed collective quests as sectors in the justice sector deepen access to justice, consequently enhancing inter-agency collaboration and efficiency in the country’s institutions.

‘During the last five years, I have borne witness to your passion, valued partnership, and commitment to this country towards strengthening the rule of law and administration of justice by promoting ideals that are cohesive, accountable, and efficient in the justice system,’ said Koome.

She added that the end-term evaluation of PLEAD’s first phase in 2022 attested to the power of collaboration and coordination under the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ), with relevance, efficiency, and flexibility being at its frontier in the justice sector for Kenyan society.

Koome acknowledged that access to justice for the vulnerable has been an important cause, stating that since the initiative was introduced, Alternative Justice Systems (AJS), such as the framework policies, county action plans, and training of 354 Community Service Order (Probation) Officers, together with other national partners, have greatly benefited from its contribution, citing areas like child justice, technology, and sexual and gender-based violence.

Further, she remarked that renewed focus on technology PLEAD I enabled the system to be people-focused justice, noting that during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Judiciary transitioned to electronic justice as a primary mode of delivering justice for Kenyans with over 600 computers and video conferencing equipment that continue to facilitate access to justice, including for those imprisoned.

‘PLEAD has shown us that when we pull together, we can indeed push the frontiers of justice for all,’ said Koome.

The Judiciary boss lauded the broadening of national beneficiaries in its second phase, akin to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), National Police Service (NPS), Directorate of Children’s Services (DCS), and Kenya Prison Service (KPS), affirming that the widened support would transform and expand the whole justice chain in nine additional counties as well as endorse inclusivity.

‘Our strength lies in our unity and shared vision of a just and equitable society. As we move forward, let us remember that we are stronger together and that our collective efforts will yield far greater results than any one of us could achieve alone,’ the CJ maintained.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Farming preparation for upcoming main season is underway while 60 percent of wheat production cultivated during summer irrigation development activities has been harvested, Ministry of Agriculture disclosed.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Agriculture Minister Girma Amente said total of 15 million quintal of fertilizer will be supplied for upcoming main cultivation season.

According to him, out of the total 15 million quintal of fertilizer 40 percent has been distributed meanwhile the rest is being transported.

The minister also said that efforts are also underway to distribute 1.5 million quintal of selected seeds as part of the preparation for the upcoming main cultivation season.

Girma further elaborated that the ministry has been making a number of efforts with a view to transforming the agricultural sector by utilizing the available technologies and farming methods as part of the effort to be food self sufficient.

In this regard, cluster farming method being implemented in the country is bearing fruits as it is helping to increase productivity, he added.

The land covered with cluster farming methods has now been progressed to 6.1 million hectares in five years, he mentioned.

Cluster farming has enabled farmers to harvest 35 quintal per hectare on average showing an increment of 4 quintal per hectare compared to the traditional way of farming, he added.

This farming method helps to ensure food security, substitute import and increase revenue by enabling crops agreeable with the ecology to grow in larger quantity and highest quality.

In addition to the farming method, the government has been improving the supply of inputs vital to boost agricultural productivity, the minister added.

According to him, the government has subsidized 36 billion Birr for both this year and the previous year farming seasons to enable farmers get inputs in a fair price, including fertilizer and seeds.

He further pointed out that duty free is allowed to import agricultural inputs to encourage mechanization, in which, more than 500 mechanization and irrigation equipment have been imported free of duty since last year.

Besides the efforts being made for farming preparations, 60 percent of the wheat production is collected, which was developed through summer irrigation program.

The country has been carrying out summer irrigation wheat development activities across the nation to harvest more than 52 quintal of wheat by developing 1.3 million hectares of farmland during the current fiscal year.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Ethiopian Foreign Affairs State Minister, Ambassador Misganu Arga, stated that efforts are well underway to boost Ethio- Pakistan bilateral relationship.

Ethiopian Airlines has resumed flights to Karachi, Pakistan this week after 20 years of interruption.

The resumption of Ethiopian Airlines to Karachi is expected to play great role in the overall cooperation of the two countries particularly to strengthen economic ties.

During the inauguration of the flight, Ethiopian government and business, high level delegation led by the State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Misganu Arga has visited Pakistan.

The trade and investment forum of the two countries was held in Karachi and has created a great impetus to strengthen the cooperation between the two countries.

State Minister of Foreign Minister, Ambassador Misganu Arga told ENA that the comprehensive cooperation between Ethiopia and Pakistan is growing.

The resumption of Ethiopian Airlines flights to Karachi will strengthen economic diplomacy of the two countries by facilitating trade and investment ties., ambassador Misganu indicated.

He said Ethiopia is very much interested to increase the diversity of exports to Pakistan while Pakistan’s potential in the manufacturing sector is good opportunity for Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is currently working focusing on increasing export goods and foreign direct investment, he said, adding that Pakistani investors can benefit from this opportunity.

Ambassador Misganu further stated that in various fields efforts are well underway to further boost the bilateral relations of Ethiopia and Pakistan.

Special economic zones and industrial parks being established in Ethiopia will create good opportunities for Pakistani investors, he elaborated.

Pakistani Trade Development Authority Chairman, Zubair Motiwalla on his part said that Pakistan is committed to strengthening its diplomatic, trade and investment relations with Ethiopia.

As Ethiopia is also working with the same position, we are committed to move the comprehensive cooperation of the two countries to the next phase, he said.

At the business forum held in Karachi, Pakistan, an agreement was signed between the chambers of commerce of the two countries to strengthen trade and investment.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency