Kenya is scaling up its push to create digital jobs at the grassroots, with eight Jitume Digital Hubs now operational in Bungoma County as part of a nationwide effort to equip young people with online work skills and income opportunities.
The hubs, set up under the government’s Jitume Digital Enablement Programme, provide internet access, devices, and training in digital skills, targeting youth in areas historically underserved by technology infrastructure. Locations in Kabuchai, Webuye West, Kimilili, Chemoge, Tongaren, and Kanduyi are already hosting beneficiaries, according to the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy.
The initiative is part of Kenya’s broader ambition to position itself as a leading digital economy in Africa while tackling youth unemployment. Since its launch in 2023, nearly 350 hubs have been established across the country, training more than 140,000 young people and facilitating about 42,000 digital job linkages.
Officials say the programme is designed to bridge the digital divide by turning community centres into access points for online work, freelancing, and tech-enabled services. At Bungoma National Polytechnic, some participants say the hubs have already improved their employability and opened up income streams through digital platforms.
“Initiatives such as Jitume are critical in ensuring that young people at the grassroots level can access digital skills, online jobs, and technology infrastructure,” said Ruth Muriithi, Manager for Knowledge Economy and Innovation at the Technopolis Development Authority.
The government plans to scale the programme to 1,450 hubs—one in each ward across Kenya’s 47 counties—as part of a target to create one million digital jobs by 2032. The rollout is being implemented by the Technopolis Development Authority in collaboration with the Communications Authority of Kenya, the ICT Authority, and the National Government Constituencies Development Fund.
Beyond basic training, the hubs are also evolving into “centres of excellence” expected to support innovators, creatives, and digital entrepreneurs, signaling a shift from access-driven policy to productivity and job creation.
For counties like Bungoma, where formal employment opportunities remain limited, the success of the programme could determine whether Kenya’s digital economy ambitions translate into tangible livelihoods.