The Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs, through the Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) has commissioned the construction of Kenya’s first software factory in Mulot, Bomet County.
The software factory is part of the 19 flagship initiatives earmarked in the ten-year Kenya National Digital Masterplan by President Uhuru’s government.
Speaking during the Ground breaking ceremony, Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs, Joseph Mucheru noted that upon completion, the software factory in Bomet will create employment opportunities Kenyan youth and spur the country’s economic growth.
“The commissioning of the software here in Bomet today reaffirms our commitment to implementation of the National Digital Master Plan that we launched in April this year that has without doubt shaped our discussions towards a transformed digital Kenya where technology plays a pivotal role in economic development. As our priority investment towards strengthening ICT Infrastructure, we expect this software factory to create employment opportunity to over 100,000 software engineers who will be able to develop systems for the region as well as for the global market,” said Mucheru.
Mucheru added that the facility will ensure development of ICT skills to match the emerging technology trends for economic growth, underscoring that digitization is a major instrument in leapfrogging all social economic development.
According to the Cabinet Secretary, the choice of location by the ministry is informed by the high number of talented ICT experts who hail from Mulot area in Bomet County. ” I therefore believe with the establishment of this facility; we will be able to tap into more talents from here and also across the Lake basin economic block counties.” Mucheru added.
The Factory is being built in partnership with private sector investors under public-private partnership arrangement
