Dr Fred Matiang’i Information, Communication & Technology

The use of technology to increase efficiency in public service delivery, transform education and create employment was a key campaign promise by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The appointment of Dr Fred Matiang’i as Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry for Information, Communication and Technology is the first step in turning the promises into action.

If he is endorsed by Parliament, Dr Matiang’i will oversee the implementation government IT-related programmes such as provision of solar-powered laptops to pupils, migration to digital broadcasting and setting up a national address system to allow home delivery of mails by the struggling Posta Kenya. He will also be on the front in the development of the Konza Technopolis, which is set to position Kenya as the information communication technology (ICT) powerhouse in eastern Africa.

He will also be tasked with delivering Mr Kenyatta’s pledge to establish a smart universal single registration system activated at birth, which will streamline national identity registration, voter registration, Nation Health Insurance Fund, National Social Security Fund, and any other tax or commercial related registration.

The President is also keen to establish technology colleges in every county to feed the labour market — a pledge that Dr Matiang’i will be expected to implement with yet to be named Education secretary. He will be banking on his doctorate degree in Communication and Comparative Literature and research skills earned in top universities to handle the tasks. “I know there is a lot to be done. I will work to take Kenya’s ICT to the next level,” he said at State House, Nairobi, Tuesday.

Dr Matiang’i, a father of two born in Borabu, Kisii County, holds a doctorate degree in Communication and Comparative Literature from the University of Nairobi. Prior to his nomination to the Cabinet, he was the East African region liaison for the State University of New York Centre for International Development since August last year. The former University of Nairobi don will also guide the policy to increase local content by television broadcasters from the current 40 per cent to 60 per cent.

If successful, he will also roll out the creation of a revolving fund to be known as the National Lottery Scheme that will provide artistes and film makers with funds to support their projects.