Stakeholders in ICT industry convened yesterday in Nairobi Kenya for the 3rd IT Leaders East Africa Summit, marking the second day of the Kenya IT week currently running at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
The leaders came together to discuss pertinent issues facing the East African ICT sector, with experts from different organization giving keynote presentations on various topical issues in the industry.
Interactive panel discussions were also held, with one of the key topics discussed being the National ICT Masterplan, its implementation progress, and how to achieve the goals set in the document.
Those present for the panel discussion included; Paul Kukubo, Chief Executive Officer, East Africa Exchange (EAX) Rwanda, Dr. Katherine Getao, ICT Secretary, Directorate of e-Government, Catherine Ngahu, Former Chairperson of the Kenya ICT Board, and Andrew Lewela, Project Manager at the Kenya ICT Authority.
The National ICT Masterplan is a five-year plan that seeks to drive citizen adoption of the Kenya Vision 2030 priorities through ICT policies and initiatives. In the plan, the Kenyan government aims to have up to 90 percent of the citizens connected to the internet, improve access to public services through ICT, create a knowledge-based economy and make Kenya an ICT hub.
The panelist said that for Kenya to achieve the masterplan goals, innovation should remain the key driver in all sectors of the economy, with education playing a pivotal role.
Speaking during the panel discussion, Dr. Katherine Getao said: “How we train our young people matters as these are the people who will be the future drivers of the economy towards achieving the Kenya Vision 2030.”
Seconding Dr. Getao, Catherine Ngahu said that the education curriculum defines the goals of a country and how fast they can be achieved. “Education plays an important role towards achieving the ICT Masterplan and Vision 2030, as it defines the type of people Kenya produces for the global market,” Ngahu said.
Paul Kukubo urged East African governments to cease from just talking about the problems facing the countries, and embark on finding lasting solutions in partnership with the private sector.
