Now that the IEBC has certified William Ruto as Kenya’s future president, we may examine the campaign pledges made by his party. These are only a few of the pledges made by the party in regards to the digital and technological ecology.
Within five years, UDA has pledged to significantly expand and expedite broadband connectivity over the entirety of Kenya. A major goal is to build a fiber optic network that spans the entire country and is more than 100,000 kilometers in length. Kenya has excellent connectivity, although more work is needed to link the country’s rural areas.
The party also pledged to improve government service delivery by digitizing and automating essential government operations. At least 80% of all government services would be made available digitally, according to the plan. No specifics have been provided, but we should learn more in the following weeks and months.
The creation of an Africa Regional Hub and the encouragement of software development for export are also in the works. Kenyan developers will be able to take advantage of the global market and the good talent they have at their disposal.
Call and data rates in Kenya should be lowered – The party has pledged to lower call and data rates, which could be the best news for young people. The primary goal here is to increase young people’s access to and use of internet resources for leisure, education, and commerce. More people will be able to use online resources for education, employment, and recreation if data rates are lowered.
Create a Digital Master Plan – Kenya’s adherence to international environmental treaties will guide the Digital Master Plan’s execution.
Create a Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology Policy to coordinate federal efforts to advance technology and better equip agencies to employ emerging tools.
The government plans to bolster Konza Technopolis so that businesses, universities, and other innovators can pool resources to fund research and development of cutting-edge technologies; this will lead to the creation of high-quality jobs that make use of AI, robotics, and other cutting-edge tools, boosting Kenya’s standing in the region and the world at large.
The government plans to provide charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) in every major city and along major routes. Kenya Power has stated their intention to begin testing these charging stations in Nairobi and Nakuru very soon. The government plans to incentivize the switch to electric vehicles among public service vehicles and commercial transporters through tax breaks and other financial aid, and it will use funds allocated for the boda boda industry to help grow the fledgling electric vehicle (EV) and motorcycle assembly sector.
