Nairobi — A total of 14 counties in the expansive Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) will benefit from Safaricom’s ICT, financial and infrastructure products.
They include Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori Nandi, Nyamira, Siaya, Trans Nzoia and Vihiga.
LREB is one of the most densely populated regions of Kenya with 14.9 million people who constitute about 31.4 percent of the population in Kenya.
The initiatives, which will be implemented under myCounty App will include digitising the counties, enabling solutions, provision of protected technology and transforming lives through Safaricom’s Social Good Investments in LREB counties.
It is part of the telco’s program to promote digital transformation in counties.
“We cannot achieve our vision to be a purpose-led technology company by 2025 without deliberate and strategic collaboration with both the county and national government,” Safaricom Customer Obsession Director Lucille Aveva said.
“This partnership with the LREB signifies a clear intention on our part to co-create with the county governments to digitise devolution,” Aveva added.
Likewise, Safaricom will provide connectivity for county sites, bridge the citizen digital divide, actualise the digital superhighway through fibre connectivity, offer revenue and healthcare management.
Others are public Wi-Fi, eSubsidy/vouchers for services, secure employee communication, safeguard citizen data and offer cyber security to the 14 counties within the LREB region.
Already, Makueni County has adopted the myCounty App while Elgeyo Marakwet and Nairobi counties have signed a deal with Safaricom to integrate the App.
myCounty App is a digital platform that will enable all 47counties to digitise their services and operations through a single, citizen access channel.
The platform will ease public access to county services such as payment of parking, single business permits, among others.
“Technology continues to play a significant role in achieving a functional devolved government,” LREB Chair and Kisumu County Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o said.
“We are hopeful that our people will soon begin to reap the fruits of this agreement and unlock the economic potential of our counties,” she said.
