SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H.,PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCESOF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA DURING THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OFTHE PRESIDENTIAL DIGITAL TALENT PROGRAM AT TAIFA HALL,UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

10TH FEBRUARY, 2015

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am happy to be here with you at this milestone in our nation'stransformational journey. There are many good reasons why thetransformation of our country is inevitable.

As a nation on the verge of unprecedented growth and prosperity, it wasimperative that we evolve our public institutions and services to facilitaterapid development.

This began with the inauguration of a constitutional dispensation built onvalues, including equity, integrity, efficient services, inclusivity,transparency and accountability.

This was accompanied by the conscious development of a roadmapdedicated to propelling our country into the league of industrialised,middle-income countries.

My Government's transformation pledges were founded on the core logicof these aspirations. We promised to be loyal stewards of ourconstitutional order, and faithful trustees of the Vision 2030. To do this,we formulated strategies articulated in our manifesto, all aimed atrealising our foundational values within a short time.

We recognise that the aspirations were to be realised progressively,which we saw as a rapid process. To facilitate and accommodate rapid progress, many aspects of ourgovernance and service delivery had to quickly adapt. So successful wasthis adaptation that we are now poised to become a knowledge economy.My Government is committed to delivering superior public services tocitizens and our visitors.

We are also committed to enhancing Kenya's leadership position as theregional and continental hub for education, research and innovation,banking and insurance, manufacturing, healthcare and ICT. We have set out to execute a series of measures calculated at makingKenya a globally compelling investment destination. These are the keyelements of our vision of a shared prosperity, which ensures that every

Kenyan secures a meaningful stake in our development agenda.

There are key challenges that we must, as a nation, overcome in order torealise our collective aspirations. These challenges can only besurmounted through the rapid enhancement of productivity, efficiency,innovation and accountability in all sectors of our economy. The advent of digital technology has provided opportunities fortremendous worldwide growth and change. This also means that there isno facet of life, and no sector of the economy immune from the power ofdigital technology.

In Kenya, we recognised this quickly enough, and moved swiftly to takeadvantage of this development. There is no one alive in Kenya todaywho has not felt the power of digital technology.

My Government, therefore, has committed itself to expanding andintensifying the development and application of digital technology. Weexpect this to accelerate our determined drive towards productivity,efficiency, innovation and accountability.

We trust in the power of digital technology to deliver solutions toeveryday challenges. We rely on ICT to bring opportunities for allKenyans, and especially our youth. We know that technology can makeour people prosperous, and our nation truly great. I am conscious of increasing challenges to our growth, includingcompetition, corruption and crime. However, I am confident in thepromise of technology to enable us conquer them.

To do this, our economy requires a sustainable initiative to empowersuccessive groups of young people to master our digital environment.Through the ICT Authority in the Ministry of Information, Communicationand Technology, we have developed the Digital Talent Programme, incollaboration with private sector partners. This programme brings together the leading lights in our ICT landscapeto mentor, inspire and lead a new wave of digital trailblazers.

I thank all the partners who have undertaken to help us take Kenya'sdigital tradition to the next level. We start this programme today. Thisbatch of young people are talented ICT professionals who will lead theway and deliver the dream. Kenya's public sector is rapidly digitising toenhance transparency and accountability. ICT has eased financial transactions by reducing costs and openingbanking and finance to everyone.

You will deliver the next big thing in business and financial solutions.Business Process Outsourcing and mobile financial products haveevolved into formidable subsectors of our economy. Today, we begin thenext chapter of our story. Today, we inaugurate the next phase of ICT

transforming opportunity for all people.

You are the promise that ICT holds for our nation. I urge you to do yourbest, and commit yourselves to integrity, diligence, professionalism andfocus.

In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, prosperity is not magic. Prosperityis also not some abstract notion to be debated and discussed. It involvesthe delivery of real solutions to real problems faced by real people knownto you and me. Prosperity is the work of individuals and groups. It is thework of people like you.

It is in initiatives like this Digital Talent Programme that our hope forsustainable economic growth lies. It is time for us to grow beyond theprojected 7% to over 10%.

I wish you all the best as you commence a meaningful, rewarding andimmensely exciting chapter of your careers. I now declare the Digital Talent Programme officially launched.

Thank you. God bless you.