Members of Parliament from the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) Committee of the National Assembly have warned that the project to roll out 1,450 Digital Hubs targeting each ward across the Country risks being hampered by procedural gaps arising from delayed finalization of policy guidelines for the project roll out.
Led by Committee Chairperson, and Eldama Ravine MP Musa Sirma, the MPs noted that the guidelines, which are yet to be finalized, were crucial before the NG-CDF kitty could be pumped into the project spearheaded by President William Ruto.
The MPs spoke as they met officials from the Ministry of Information, Communication (ICT) and the Digital Economy to discuss draft guidelines on roll out of the constituencies digital hubs.
This was a follow-up meeting after an earlier engagement with the Ministry team, and the NG-CDF Board in July that noted key legal and logistical roll out gaps in the initial draft of the guidelines as suggested.
Sirma noted that time was running out and challenged the Ministry and the NG-CDF Board to hasten finalization of the guidelines for tabling and adoption by the National Assembly.
“Time is not on our side, as our young people are waiting in the Constituencies to get down to work and these pending issues need to be finalized,” noted Sirma.
During fact-finding visits to the Constituency Digital Hubs across the Country earlier this year, the Committee noted serious infrastructural and technical challenges in the centres, which the MPs noted could be speedily addressed through NG-CDF once the guidelines are finalized.
Section 25 (2) (a) of the NG-CDF Act permits constituencies to allocate up to 3% of their total allocation to cater for utility expenses and maintenance of the constituency digital hubs.
The NG-CDF Board Members led by Chairperson Hon. Olago Aluoch were also in attendance.
