Kenya re-launches ICT master plan with focus on creating 180,000 jobs

What you need to know:

Government will relaunch its information, communication and technology master plan next week.
ICT industry expected to create 180,000 jobs by 2017 contribute eight per cent to the GDP.
Relaunch to be held at this year's Connected Kenya summit to be held in Mombasa.

The Government will relaunch its ICT master plan next week, detailing how Kenya can position itself as a leader in technology investment and innovation by the year 2017.

The plan projects that by 2017, Kenya’s ICT industry would create 180,000 jobs and contribute eight per cent to the GDP.

The relaunch will take place in Mombasa during the Connected Kenya summit that will highlight the journey towards a cashless society, role of national development plans, national strategic projects and integrated infrastructure.

The master plan gives priority to health and education to cut costs, increase value in society and enhance citizen experience. Other industries targeted include agriculture and retail/wholesale trade.

ICT secretary Fred Matiang’i said the government will partner with the private sector and development partners to fund flagship projects planned for the period.

“The master plan which is aligned to Vision 2030, the Jubilee Manifesto and other policy documents will, among other things, help to create an enabling policy, legal and regulatory environment; provide e-government services that are simple to use and convenient for citizens and businesses and help develop a dynamic and robust ICT sector that will enhance socioeconomic growth,” Dr Matiang’i said.

The theme for this year’s Connected Kenya summit, which was inspired by the World Economic Forum agenda, is ‘Breaking the Barriers’.

The conference will identify the dead ends and pitfalls in ICT development agenda for the country and look into ways of making progress in national strategic projects.

Some of the progress made so far by Connected Kenya 2013 includes the merger of government ICT agencies to form the ICT Authority and introduction of ICT Summit series in the counties and focus on information security.

READ: State ICT institutions merged to streamline operations

The Connected Kenya Summit, formerly known as The Connected Government is the main calendar event of the ICT Authority aimed at linking and speeding-up implementation of government information technology projects to world-class standards. The first summit was held in 2009.