ICT summit kicks off in Mombasa

By James Ratemo

A three-day ICT conference that will look into ways to speed up connectivity across the country, promote transparent, efficient, and effective delivery of public services opens in Mombasa today.

Dubbed ‘Connected Kenya’, the conference hosted by Kenya’s ICT industry players will also discuss latest technologies in the ICT sector, and how the Government and the private sector can adopt technology to improve service delivery and reduce expenditure.

Themed ‘Innovating for the Citizen’, the conference will also explore ways in which technology can be used to deploy services closer to the people, especially those in rural and remote areas.

Information and Communications Minister, Samuel Poghisio, will officially open the annual conference, which is now in its third year.

A brainchild of the Kenya ICT Board — and officially sponsored by telecoms operator Safaricom — Connected Kenya provides a platform for players to debate major industry issues, including Internet penetration, the role of Government in ensuring increased uptake of ICT services, and how public-private partnership can be used to drive the two.

Many analysts have called for the automation and digitisation of key services by the Government, saying this will improve efficiency and engender accountability, especially in the public sector.

During the conference, Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore, is expected deliver a keynote address on the topic ‘The Future of Innovation’, which will show what innovation in technology could do for Kenya in the next decade, among other things.

Those on the list

Also expected to make presentations during the conference are Information and Communications PS Dr Bitange Ndemo, CCK Director General Eng Charles Njoroge, Kenya ICT Board CEO Paul Kukubo, among others. Other sponsors of the high-profile conference include IBM, Orange Telkom, Equity Bank, Sevens Seas, SAP, Huawei Technologies, CIO East Africa and Homeboyz.

"Safaricom is delighted at the opportunity to sponsor and be part of this great initiative, as it underscores the critical role of ICT in attaining the development objectives articulated in the Vision 2030," said Collymore.