At least 50 families in the Twarama area of Tigania west of Sub County have been left homeless after their houses were submerged due to heavy rains. The floods have destroyed their belongings, leaving them relying on their neighbours for food and clothing. Farmers in the area have also suffered significant losses, including the destruction of their crops. The flooding is attributed to the blockage of a tunnel, which led rainwater to flow to the Twale River by people who built homesteads along the way. The only solution to the flooding is to unblock the tunnel by evicting those who have settled there. Area MCA Jim Muchui called for the release of emergency funds to cushion the victims and for the Kenya Red Cross to assess the situation and take data to inform their response. She also authorised the formation of a joint committee to investigate the tunnel blockage issue once the rains subside.
The National Treasury is involving the public in the budget-making process for the 2024/25 financial year and mid-term budget review. Public participation forums led by technical officers from various state departments are being conducted across the country to gather opinions on key funding areas. The exercise, expected to end on November 6, aims to involve stakeholders in the budget planning process, ensuring inclusivity and promoting a healthy democracy. The budget will focus on the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which aims to create job opportunities and foster economic growth. The outcomes of these forums will enhance transparency, accountability, and strengthen trust between the government and citizens.
The Kenyan government has begun installing Wi-Fi hotspots in markets in Nakuru County as part of its digitization and economic transformation agenda. The initiative, launched at the Nakuru Wakulima Market, aims to help traders sell their produce and wares on social media networks and attract a large clientele. The free Wi-Fi is designed to revolutionize business operations for traders, allowing them to trade online from their stalls. The Kenya Kwanza government has set a target of laying out an extra 100,000km of fibre through the Universal Service Fund. Over the five-year period, the government aims to establish 1,450 digital hubs in each of the 1,450-County Assembly electoral wards. Internet connectivity also aims to bridge the unemployment gap by leveraging digital technologies. The Ajira and Jitume programs are equipping citizens digitally, with the state intending to equip one million learners with ICT skills for digital entrepreneurship. Digital marketing and e-commerce training modules have equipped over 350,000 youth with digital skills, creating over 110,000 digital jobs.
Kenya’s government is investing heavily in infrastructure and policies to revamp its digital economy. The Ajira Digital programme and the National Broadband Strategy are among the initiatives aimed at promoting digital skills development. The digital skilling programme is part of the Kenya Kwanza government manifesto to transform the economy. The digital space is becoming increasingly important as a pathway to socio-economic development and employment creation in Africa, given the continent’s unique status as a region with the youngest population but the highest youth unemployment rate. The government is establishing digital laboratories to enable students and youth to acquire digital skills for local and international job opportunities. The digital hubs in all 1,450 wards will provide high-speed internet connection, technical facilities, and networking opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The government has identified technology as the center-piece of its plans aimed at fostering job creation. The Kenya Kwanza administration is focusing on projects such as Konza Technopolis, digital hubs in wards, and free Wi-Fi in markets and trading centres.
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