Lodwar, April 3, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)

The Stakeholders and Private Sector in Turkana have asked the County Government of Turkana to fast track the development of ICT Policy, as they say, it is long overdue.The County Government has been in the process of developing Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Policy that is geared towards providing a strategic framework for ICT adoption, integration and implementation.

For this reason, the county has engaged stakeholders and Private Sector in a forum to develop the ICT Policy that addresses significant ICT infrastructure challenges that impact on Education, Health services, Public administration and other sectors of the economy.

The development of ICT Policy, the Director of ICT and E-government, Isaac Eregae, says, “it is a catalyst that enhances the development process of this county across all sectors, ICT helps government expand access to information for its citizenry and save cost compared to using paper-based communications.At the same time, provides a much faster link in helping government to work with the private sector and the civil society organizations as well as other stakeholders.

”He continues to say, the management of information, communication and technology is an integral part as well as a major strategic asset to the County Government. Of significance, Eregae says ICT is essential to the provision of services ezpecially to the last mile and the delivery of a secure e-government environment, policies and procedures that need to be laid down and enforced to safeguard those services and the County Government’s interest.

Similarly, the Director says, the Turkana County Government through the Directorate of ICT & E-Government ensures that ICT is not only an enabler but also an integral component of business in today’s service delivery in government.

This stakeholder’s forum follows a series of meetings in the previous engagements that saw its first inception and kickoff meeting that involved policy development with ideas generation from the county employees, in the mid March 2025. And more meetings focusing on review and validation of the draft policy before it is finalized and be ready before the end of this FY’2024/2025.It was in this meeting that Director Eregae revealed that the same stakeholders would be instrumental in the forthcoming Turkana County ICT Week scheduled from 19th to 23rd May, 2025. In so doing, he said, it would be an opportune time to present the ICT Policy to the key stakeholders already invited for the event.

During the discussion, Eliud Emeri, the President of the Civil Society Network Turkana, suggests, “the policy should include technology inclusion of pictorial signs that would be useful as early warning alerts to the pastoralist community cautioning them against the perennial droughts, disasters among other emergency catastrophes in Turkana.

”On his part, the Start-up Lions Director, Brizan Were, adds; “development of ICT policy in the county is timely, and would at greater extend benefit the creative economy that facilitates development of digital skills.”

He said the Loropio-based Organization, has so far trained 1634 ICT graduates, in which, 40% have been employed in digital jobs, while the rest are pursuing further studies in ICT.

At the same time, Vincent Siiren, who represented Turkana Christian Development Mission, working for both refugee and host communiy in the meeting, said, the policy would be impactful if it considers to be inclusive and integrates both the refugee and host community.Once complete, Siiren asked the government to champion for ICT Research Centre in Turkana.

He said with this in place, the development of different system hubs and models, would leverage the access of ICT tools and skills to refugee and host community.Edwin Juma, the Safaricom in-charge of Turkana and West Pokot Counties, observes, “Safaricom will be playing a key role once the Policy is complete and implemented. We will be handy in support in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility as we envisage to improve livelihoods.”