Mbugua Njihia

The rapid development of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) is creating new products and services, as well as new ways of learning, entertainment and doing business. It is also true that more commercial, professional and social opportunities are being created through the opportunity provided by ICT development in the country. As a result, the country is undergoing a fundamental transformation as we embrace the information age. The economic production, social interaction and political organization will never be the same, thanks to the ICTs development.However, there is a strong perception among many Kenyans that ICT policy regime has been skewed to benefit the capital owners and the tech-savvy sections of the population while leaving out the ordinary citizens who fall out of the fast-changing digital ecosystem. The situation is worsened further by the fact that the media, in their public watchdog role, often fail to fully grasp – or shy away from – confronting civil and other rights violations in the ICT   arena.

Many feel that the media, the civil society and the legislature have not been sufficiently engaged and proactive  in safeguarding the rights of the citizens and consumers, while the private sector is only keen to watch the bottom-line. These trends are likely to have adverse economic and social impact on the large population who do not benefit directly from the knowledge economy – the focus of Government and other key players in the ICTs field. It is important for all to appreciate that ensuring universal access to affordable ICT services is a necessary condition for realizing the benefits of the ICT in catalyzing economic development. Continue Reading…