47 MCAs from Nyeri County and some members of staff have undergone a five-day ICT training exercise at Kenyatta University Conference Centre in Nairobi.
The main aim of the exercise was to show them how to use Facebook, Twitter and other social media tools to monitor activities within their various wards.
According to Mwangi Mugo, Nyeri County assembly speaker, the training was planned to equip both the staff and MCAs with the essential ICT skills to make sure that they take information in the right forms to the correct users at the right time.
Mugo further added that the MCAs were also taught about Microsoft office, e-government, financial management systems and using an iPad effectively.
“We would like to establish a website, Twitter handle and Facebook page for the Assembly immediately that will serve as fundamental links to people living in Nyeri as well as a local intranet that will ease paperless communication for its members,” said Mugo.
According to Mugo, if the Assembly adopts the model it can be utilized for various activities including sending order papers, bills, reports to be tabled, motions and messages from the chair in addition to uploading the Hansard onto the website to enable easy access to house proceedings.
The training emphasized the need of ICT in increasing efficiency within government institutions by enabling local Kenyan citizens access information any time.