The government is set to digitise at least 80 per cent of public services and make them available on eCitizen, the platform where all government services are accessed in a one stop shop format.
ICT, E-Government and Digital Economy secretary Mary Kerema said that Kenya is now at 17,000 services online and is aiming at automating most government services.
Kerema was speaking during the International Conference on Convergence and Smart Systems attended by different countries in Kenya where government –private sector collaboration was emphasised.
The collaboration, according to the secretary, will enhance digital awareness and online safety where she called on Kenyans to use the internet for positive engagement.
During the conference that was organised by Pioneer International University (PIU), the convergence of universities from around the world discussed technologies that are used in various departments, how efficient and safe they are and how to improve them even more.
Kerema pointed out that Kenya is aspiring to be the next country to do manufacturing through ICT hence the advocacy for this kind of integration.
She added that the government is putting up frameworks to safeguard the citizenry from cyber attacks through infrastructure like Wi-Fi and digital hubs.
PIU vice chancellor Prof Gideon Maina said that the university is doing research and innovation on ICT which has enabled some of its students emerge the best in the recent hackathon competition that was organised recently in the country.
Maina emphasised on the need for government collaboration saying the private sector is the driver of innovation hence the need to collaborate and not to look like the government is competing with the private sector.
However, Prof Maina pointed out the dangers of ICT graduates in not utilising their knowledge positively, adding that this is where cybercrime is witnessed.
He thanked the government through whose collaboration he said will help most ICT intellectuals use their knowledge to impact positive change in the world.
Prof Kyungbaek Kim, a Professor in Artificial intelligence department at the Chonnam University in Korea famed for E-government services, said that with the collaboration with Pioneer International University and the Kenyan government, big strides in the ICT sector will be realised.
Prof Kim also noted that the internet has nowadays penetrated through the use of devices like mobile phones where even the aged in the rural set up have access to such devices.
He encouraged Kenya to continue bench-marking with South Korea especially on its venture to do manufacturing through ICT.
Participants at the international conference showcased their wit in the ICT sector and discussed various ways to enhance technology in their countries.
