Lake Region bloc strikes deal to speed up digital transformation
A total of 14 counties from the lake region will benefit from various ICT, financial services and infrastructure products to unlock the area’s economic potential.
This follows a partnership between Safaricom and the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) to implement various initiatives to promote digital transformation at county level.
The initiatives, which will be implemented under myCounty App will include digitising the devolved units, enabling solutions, provision of protected technology and transforming lives through Safaricom’s Social Good Investments in LREB counties.
In particular, Safaricom will provide connectivity for county sites, bridge the citizen digital divide, and actualise the digital superhighway through fibre connectivity.
Further, the telco will provide revenue and healthcare management services, public Wi-Fi, eSubsidy/vouchers for services, and secure employee communication.
The agreement will also see Safaricom safeguard citizen data and offer cyber security to the 14 counties within the LREB region.
“We cannot achieve our vision to be a purpose-led technology company by 2025 without deliberate and strategic collaboration with both the county and national government. This partnership with the LREB signifies a clear intention on our part to co-create with the county governments to digitise devolution,” said Lucille Aveva, Director, Customer Obsession- Safaricom.
Read also: Are counties ready for 5G revolution?
The county government of Makueni has already adopted the myCounty App while Elgeyo Marakwet and Nairobi counties have signed a deal with Safaricom to integrate the App.
Safaricom’s myCounty App is a digital platform that will enable all 47 counties to digitise their services and operations through a single, citizen access channel. The platform will ease public access to county services such as payment of parking, single business permits, among others.
“LREB welcomes the opportunity to partner with Safaricom in a bid to bring technology solutions closer home. Technology continues to play a significant role in achieving a functional devolved government. We are hopeful that our people will soon begin to reap the fruits of this agreement and unlock the economic potential of our counties,” said Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, Chair LREB and Governor- Kisumu County.
The 14 counties targeted for this digital revolution are: Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori Nandi, Nyamira, Siaya, Trans Nzoia and Vihiga.
The Lake Region is one of the most densely populated regions of Kenya with 14.9 million people who constitute about 31.4 percent of the population in Kenya.
