Safaricom, Lake Region Bloc in Pact to Hasten Digital Transformation

The ICT, financial, and infrastructure products provided by Safaricom will benefit a total of 14 counties in the sizable Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB).

Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori Nandi, Nyamira, Siaya, Trans Nzoia, and Vihiga are some of them.

With 14.9 million residents or around 31.4 percent of Kenya’s total population, LREB is one of the most populated regions in the country.

Through Safaricom’s Social Good Investments in LREB counties, the projects that will be carried out under the myCounty App will include digitising the counties, providing enabling solutions, providing secured technology, and altering lives.

It is part of the telco’s program to promote digital transformation in counties.

“We cannot achieve our vision to be a purpose-led technology company by 2025 without deliberate and strategic collaboration with both the county and national government,” Safaricom Customer Obsession Director Lucille Aveva said.

“This partnership with the LREB signifies a clear intention on our part to co-create with the county governments to digitise devolution,” Aveva added.

Similarly, Safaricom will offer revenue and healthcare management, close the digital divide for citizens, actualize the digital superhighway through fibre connectivity, and provide connectivity for county sites.

The 14 counties in the LREB region can also benefit from public Wi-Fi, eSubsidy/service vouchers, secure staff communication, citizen data protection, and cyber security.

Elgeyo Marakwet and Nairobi counties have signed a deal with Safaricom to integrate the App, and Makueni County has already embraced the myCounty App.

Through a single, citizen-access channel, the myCounty App digital platform will enable all 47 counties to digitize their services and operations.

The platform would make county services like parking payment and single company licenses more easily accessible to the general public.

“Technology continues to play a significant role in achieving a functional devolved government,” LREB Chair and Kisumu County Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o said.

“We are hopeful that our people will soon begin to reap the fruits of this agreement and unlock the economic potential of our counties,” he said.