By H, KNA
Wagalla village in Wajir West Sub-county has been connected to free public Wi-Fi under the government initiative, aimed at providing free Wi-Fi hotspots across Kenya, with a target of 25,000 locations, primarily to help small businesses digitize and participate in e-commerce.
The project is being implemented by the ICT Authority in partnership with Liquid Intelligent Technologies Kenya to promote digital inclusion and facilitate access to government services.
According to the Wajir County ICT Officer, Abdi Mumin, the site is an addition to the four other government of Kenya public Wi-Fi hotspots in the county installed by Safaricom including two at Halale and one each for Bute and Eldas.
“The government, through the ICT Authority and the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, has also implemented other sites across the country, with more expected under the Digital Superhighway, Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Project, and Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project,” said Abdi.
Wagalla Location Senior Chief Ali Mohamed said the connectivity will improve communication and service delivery in the area.
“The village was selected as a pilot site. Residents can now access internet services without cost,” said Mohamed.
Chairperson of the local Rangeland Management Committee, Halima Bishar, said the service will help reduce household expenses on mobile data.
“I used to spend Sh3,000 per month on internet bundles. With free Wi-Fi, families can now save significantly,” said Bishar.
A local youth leader, Ismael Hassan said the internet connection will support access to online jobs and education, while a content creator Khalif Aden said the connectivity will enable him to expand his online work.
Meanwhile, ICT Authority reports indicate that the digital economy has contributed to job creation through business process outsourcing, generating at least 1,000 jobs for Kenyans monthly since 2013.