Civil society wants the government compelled to provide free internet

GSC technicians and innovators Emmanuel Kibet and Humphrey Mandela working on the Dual purpose wireless GSC farm net rooter innovated by GSC farm company in Eldoret. [File, Standard]

The public could soon have free internet in their homes and places of work if a petition filed at the High Court by a civil society group succeeds.

Kituo Cha Sheria argues that since most government services are currently offered online, access to internet should be declared a basic right for every Kenyan to enable them access government services free of charge.

“We are seeking a declaration that the government has threatened the rights of millions of Kenyans by offering a number of services exclusively on the internet without considering the plight of the public who are poor, illiterate and are unable to access the online services,” said the organisation.

Through lawyers John Mwariri and Mosongo Maosa, the civil society group accused the government of doing nothing to help a majority of citizens acquire Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills despite implementing policies on ICT use in the country.

They submitted that most government ministries, county governments and even the Judiciary have developed online systems for their services without providing the public with meaningful access to the internet to be able to benefit from the services.

According to the lawyers, even some schools have adopted online learning services without considering the plight of poor children whose parents cannot even afford computers and mobile phones to access the internet.

“The life situation of most members of the Kenyan public is that they lack the necessary ICT skills, lack infrastructure to access the internet, including laptops, desktop computers, phones and tablets, have no access or limited access and can't afford the internet,” said Mwariri.

They argued that the government has failed to implement initiatives and programmes aimed at ensuring the public seeking services, especially those who may not have access to the necessary infrastructure, have alternative means to access their services offered online.

In addition, Mwariri submitted that the government has failed to carry out sufficient e-literacy training skills for technologically challenged members of the public and install data centres across the country to offer them free accessibility.

“By offering services online without considering the plight of those unable to access the internet on account of either being illiterate or poor, the government has violated their rights and that is why we are asking that access to internet be declared a basic right for all Kenyans,” he said.

The lawyers accused government ministries and county governments of failing to put in place necessary and adequate initiatives that cover impoverished and marginalised people who struggle to put food on their tables while still expected to get money to access online services.

They said as result of the digital divide, a majority of the public will remain poor because they are not able to access government opportunities offered online.