“This groundbreaking signifies the start of the 1,450 digital hubs nationwide,” affirmed Eng. John Tanui at the ceremony. This ambitious project, a collaboration between the government and the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), aims to equip individuals in every ward with the digital literacy needed to thrive in the modern economy.
Jitume Digital Hubs, to be established in all 1,450 administrative wards, are designed to address the digital skills gap.
“We’ve seen success rolling out Jitume Hubs in Technical and Vocational centers, where youth have gained digital skills leading to employment and income generation,” noted Tanui.
“By expanding access to each ward, we’re now reaching youth outside traditional learning institutions,” added John Paul Okwiri, CEO of Konza Technopolis.
Three tiers of Jitume hubs will be deployed: Center of Excellence hubs (100 devices each), standard hubs (50 devices), and basic hubs (30 devices). Hon. John Kiarie, MP of Dagoretti South and Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee of Information, Technology, and Innovation, emphasised that these hubs will be publicly accessible, enabling widespread digital skills acquisition.
The NG-CDF Committee has demonstrated its commitment by increasing funding for Digital Hubs to Ksh100 million.
“This increased allocation ensures timely completion of the Jitume Digital Hubs within this financial year,” stated Hon. Musa Sirma, Chairman of the National Assembly Select Committee on NG-CDF and MP for Eldama Ravine.
The Jitume Digital Hub Program is a cornerstone of the Kenya Kwanza government’s Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), specifically the Digital Superhighway initiative. This broader strategy encompasses digital hub construction, laying 100,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable, digitizing government services, and providing internet access in public facilities.
“Through Jitume, we’ve already established 290 hubs and trained over 400,000 youth,” reported Eng. Tanui, highlighting the program’s existing impact.
Jitume Program: Empowering Kenyans through Digital Access and Skills
The Jitume Digital Hub initiative empowers youth by providing access to digital services, skills, and job creation opportunities. It tackles the digital divide by offering connectivity, services, products, skills training, and digital job linkages, opening doors to employment for Kenyans nationwide.
Jitume directly addresses key challenges hindering digital participation: access to devices and the internet, training, knowledge, and income-generating opportunities. It motivates youth to embrace digital tools, acquire certifications in 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills, and pursue digital jobs.
Spearheaded by Konza in partnership with the Ministry of Information, Communications, and The Digital Economy, the ICT Authority, and the Technical Vocational Education Training Authority, the Jitume Digital Enablement Programme has already benefited over 70,000 young people since its launch in December 2023.
The program has facilitated 27,998 users, 8,786-course enrollments, and access to 118 job platforms, demonstrating its tangible impact on connecting Kenyans with digital opportunities.
Jitume Program’s Three-Pronged Approach
- Access: Konza provides Virtual Desktop Infrastructures (VDIs) to overcome device barriers.
- Training: Partnerships with institutions like Thunderbird School of Global Management and Arizona State University deliver world-class online education.
- Opportunity: By equipping individuals with in-demand skills, Jitume aims to significantly reduce Kenya’s unemployment rate and foster economic growth. The program facilitates access to Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) jobs, creating pathways for youth employment and entrepreneurship.
