NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 16 – Former Kisii Governor James Ongwae will chair the Universal Service Advisory Council for a period of three years.
Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eliud Owalo also appointed the other eight members to the board starting yesterday.
They include Patrick Mwati, Amos Omolo, Lily Koech, Francis Gitau, Joy Mutuma, Ferdinand Nyongesa, Benjamin Rop, and Elizabeth Limagur.
“IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by section 102K (6) of the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998, the Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy appoints— James E. O. Ongwae—Chairperson Members: Patrick Muriithi Mwati, Amos W. Omolo (Dr.), Lily Cherono Koech, Francis Parsimei Gitau, Joy Frida Nkirote Mutuma, Ferdinand Chirure Nyongesa (Dr.), Benjamin Kiptanui Rop, Elizabeth Limagur, to be members of the Universal Service Advisory Council, for a period of three years, with effect from the 15th November, 2023,” the CS said in a gazette notice yesterday.
The USF was set up in 2013 to support widespread access, capacity building, and innovation in information and communications technology services.
It draws its finances from contributions from telecommunication service providers, broadcasters, and postal and courier operators, who are required to remit 0.5 percent of their gross annual turnover into the fund.
Some of the projects include the deployment of mobile telecommunications infrastructure and services in unserved and underserved areas in Kenya and broadband connectivity to public secondary schools.
Others are the open education resources with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), the provision of digital content for learners with print disabilities in collaboration with KIB, and the digital dissemination of agricultural content in collaboration with the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO).
Automation of the police occurrence book in Nairobi with the National Police Service (NPS) and automation of some court stations in Kenya with the judiciary are some of the ongoing USF projects.
In the mobile voice infrastructure, the authority has connected 127 sublocations, and projects are ongoing in 118 sublocations.
The project has so far ensured mobile connectivity coverage for over 700,000 Kenyans.
