by MARIA MACHARIA
NAIROBI – KENYA has hailed its partnership with Finland, the European country that is contributing to the East African nation’s digital transformation.
This partnership has been broadened following the visit of Finland President, Alexander Stubb, who on Tuesday toured a major project funded by and having the participation of some Finnish organisations.
William Gitau, Kenya Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, and John Tanui, Principal Secretary, State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy, showed Stubb around.
First Lady, Suzanne Innes-Stubb, also attended the visit, including the one to Kawangware, to explore a digital connectivity programme funded by the European Union (EU) and Finnfund, Finland’s development financier and investor.
The Finnish-headquartered Nokia and POA Internet, one of Kenya’s largest internet service providers, are also part of the digital connectivity initiative, targeting low-income households in this area that is in the capital, Nairobi.
“We welcome this project, which complements efforts by the Kenya Kwanza Government to ensure no one is left behind in our connectivity efforts, ” Gitau said.
He noted the project was key in the Kenyan government’s drive to implement various projects aimed at enhancing connectivity.
Among them are a project to install 25 000 public Wi-Fi hotspots for enhanced broadband connectivity, equipping 1 450 digital hubs, facilitating training for youths to secure online jobs and laying 100 000 kilometers of fibre.
These are under the ambitious Digital Superhighway project.
Tanui explained this investment by Finnfund was under the EU’s Africa Connected Guarantee.
He noted the collaboration with the state advanced digital learning, startup innovation and digital inclusion in remote areas.
“We are building a digitally empowered, innovative and inclusive Kenya, “Tanui said.
Finland and Kenya are marking 60 years of diplomatic relations.
– CAJ News
