Harness technology to grow economy

The technology and innovation theme for this year’s Jamhuri Day celebrations offered an opportunity for all Kenyans to reflect on the future they would like to create for themselves and how this will position Kenya in the global community.

Without a doubt, digital technology has come to occupy a central place in the economy, transforming life from the way people work, live, travel and enjoy their free time. That is why it is important for Kenyans to consider ways in which they can make the digital promise made by the government work for them and help them create income-generation opportunities.

Unfortunately, for far too many Kenyans, the digital space is one of entertainment. Not many have taken the time to appreciate that it is also a marketplace that can help them unlock economic value that can transform their lives and improve their quality of life.

The direction in which President William Ruto has pointed the country, emphasising the need to make technology and innovation work for Kenyans should serve as a catalyst in driving economic activity, starting with the way Kenyans borrow and repay the Hustler Fund to how they leverage digital opportunities to grow incomes.

Similarly, the government ought to be challenged to embrace a digital way of offering services, such as land record registrations and issuance of documents such as Identity Cards and motor vehicle logbooks with a view to making government services efficient, seamless and people friendly.

However, given the vulnerabilities that have exposed the weaknesses of a digital economy, much more needs to be done to ensure data and privacy protection now that the government is putting more of the citizens’ information online. A breach of such sensitive data would have far-reaching ramifications for the country, hence the need to ensure that such information is firewalled in a way that only those with legally authorised access can get it. 

Similarly, there should be severe sanctions against those found guilty of breaching such firewalls illegally or those who take advantage to sell such data to third parties irregularly. This is what the Fourth Industrial Revolution envisages. This opportunity also comes with inherent risks, and the government must address them to give citizens an assurance that their data is safe at all times.