Ugandan officials visit Kenya on a benchmarking exercise
BY EVALYNE GITHINJI
The Principal Secretary Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Stephen Isaboke has urged nations to establish safeguards against cyber-attacks.
He said this step is important to avoid fraud and massive interruption of operations, saying, “This next battle is going to be online, we need safeguards against any cyber-attacks.”
Speaking during a meeting with a delegation from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), the PS said that the government has deployed robust ICT infrastructure which has transformed government and business operations and eased access to information.
Mr Isaboke reiterated that strategic collaboration between the public and private sector players will play a pertinent role in improving digital infrastructure.
He informed UCC officials of the Kenyan system of installing infrastructure countrywide and infrastructure sharing.
He shared how the government uses various interventions to prevent vandalism of critical infrastructure which includes liaising accordingly with various agencies.
PS Isaboke said having the right policies provides an amiable environment for investment in digital infrastructure and allowing freedom of speech and expression, the PS said.
He hailed the importance of unity noting that Africa has a lot of opportunities to explore and experiences to share, “We need to practice one Africa, one network,” he said.
The PS highlighted that the Kenyan government is constructing 100,000 kilometers of fiber-optic connectivity to fast-track broadband expansion for accelerating economic growth through improved access to digital services, e-commerce, and availing remote work opportunities.
It is also establishing 1,450 Digital Hubs and 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots countrywide to ensure increased digital access for communities, bridging the urban-rural connectivity gap.
The government is also boosting the creative economy through Studio Mashinani to enable talented youths access facilities to record music and spoken word creations at a subsidized rate.
The Digital Superhighway Pillar also encompasses training on digital literacy to prepare the youth for virtual work and training students in Mass Media skills development.
In addition, it enhances government service delivery through digitalization and automation of key government processes.
Speaking as the Head of delegation, the Commissioner for ICT Infrastructure Development at the Ministry of ICT & National Guidance in Uganda and UCC Board Member Eng. Geoffrey Agoi stated that Uganda is amending their Communications Act.
He said Kenya has set a good pace for benchmarking in ICTs. “The reason why we are here is to understand the governance of the ICT sector from the perspective of Kenya,” Eng. Agoi stated.
He noted that Uganda is keen to harness emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) for enhanced service delivery.