Nairobi, 30th August 2024
County Chief Officer for Revenue Administration and Acting Chief Officer for ICT Infrastructure, Tiras Njoroge convened a pivotal meeting with ICT Infrastructure Officers, marking the commencement of a comprehensive network infrastructure transformation for the county.
“We are here to create a comprehensive network for the city,” stated Mr. Njoroge. “There are some areas where we will be collaborating with the ICT Authority, Konza Technopolis, Safaricom, among other partners, to ensure we have a secure and robust network for the county. This secure network is the foundation on which our Smart City will emerge, so it’s crucial to lay it down properly.”
Mr. Njoroge also conveyed H.E Governor Sakajas’ vision of devolving services to the six boroughs that will be established across Nairobi. He emphasized that proper networking between the headquarters and these boroughs is essential to ensure consistent service delivery across the county. “We must ensure that residents in these areas receive the same level of service as those at the headquarters,” he added.
He highlighted the critical role of networking in over 100 county healthcare facilities, including five Level 5 hospitals and approximately 15 Level 4 hospitals. “Maintaining uniform standards across all these facilities is crucial to benefiting the entire healthcare ecosystem. The same applies to our markets and social halls,” he noted.
Mr. Njoroge further emphasized the need for the ICT subsector to support its sibling subsectors, ensuring they have the necessary infrastructure to establish hubs, incubators, and other initiatives. He also mentioned ongoing discussions with Safaricom to improve network speed, which has been a persistent challenge, particularly in the customer service Centre. The introduction of Starlink was also seen as a timely opportunity to enhance service delivery.
“The ICT Infrastructure team must support the county in various aspects, from providing networking support for sub-county administrations to enhancing governance efficiency at City Hall and within the healthcare system. We need to ensure that our products and services lead to greater efficiency across the county,” Mr. Njoroge emphasized.
He also outlined plans to enhance information security by reviewing and strengthening county security policies across county networks, systems, and devices. This will involve deploying advanced firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption technologies, along with promoting cyber hygiene practices. Mandatory training programs will be introduced to educate staff on safe practices such as recognizing phishing attempts, managing passwords, and securing personal devices.
County Director, ICT Infrastructure, Truphena Ogonda, welcomed the Chief Officer to the subsector, acknowledging the significant task ahead. She expressed confidence in the team’s ability to fulfil the sub-sector’s mandate, particularly with the newly recruited officers.
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