County governments are being challenged to ease restrictions which are hindering investments in information, communication and technology infrastructure to drive digital economy.
According to Broadcast and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke, high fees and levies demanded by county governments including wayleave acquisition challenges are driving the cost of ICT projects in counties a move which discourages investors.
“We want to extend technology and digital services in every corner of the country but as soon as the operators are doing the extensions, they get restrictions on wayleaves, permits, levies and fees. Once they add all the costs, the projects become prohibitive and some of them give up,” said Isaboke when he spoke during the 9th Devolution Summit in Homa Bay County.
Isaboke said the ministry is now targeting to collaborate with county governments in harmonizing laws and fees in order to make the devolved units attractive for investments.
“Our work as policymakers is to harmonize national and county government strategies and speak from the same page as partners. Investors are coming to create jobs for the youth and open counties. Counties need to take this progressive thinking into account,” he added.
Through the Universal Service Fund, the government is targeting to connect at least 3,800 governments institutions across the 47 counties in a bid to extend connectivity to remote and underserved areas.
“Apart from mobile, we are rolling out fibre. In phase one we have connected 540 government offices, phase 2 we will be connecting over 3,800 and in Homa Bay County we will be connecting 108 institutions including schools, hospitals and police stations,” said Leo Boruett, Director Universal Service Fund.
Boruett says through the USF, 96.3pc of Kenyan population are now connected as shown by the 2021 study.
Through contributions by telecommunications service providers, 800,000 people have been connected in the last seven years across 19 counties.
However usage is still a challenge as 64.7pc use mobile phones for calls and 35pc use it to connect to the internet.
