SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H.

,
PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES
OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA DURING THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF
THE 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's
transformational journey.
There are many good reasons why the
transformation of our country is inevitable.
As a nation on the verge of unprecedented growth and prosperity, it was
imperative that we evolve our public institutions and services to facilitate
rapid development.
This began with the inauguration of a constitutional dispensation built on
values, including equity, integrity, efficient services, inclusivity,
transparency and accountability.
This was accompanied by the conscious development of a roadmap
dedicated to propelling our country into the league of industrialised,
middle-income countries.
My Government's transformation pledges were founded on the core logic
of these aspirations.
We promised to be loyal stewards of our
constitutional order, and faithful trustees of the Vision 2030. To do this,
we formulated strategies articulated in our manifesto, all aimed at
realising 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 our
governance and service delivery had to quickly adapt. So successful was
this adaptation that we are now poised to become a knowledge economy.
My Government is committed to delivering superior public services to
citizens and our visitors.
We are also committed to enhancing Kenya's leadership position as the
regional 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 making
Kenya a globally compelling investment destination. These are the key
elements 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 to
realise our collective aspirations.
These challenges can only be
surmounted through the rapid enhancement of productivity, efficiency,
innovation and accountability in all sectors of our economy.
The advent of digital technology has provided opportunities for
tremendous worldwide growth and change. This also means that there is
no facet of life, and no sector of the economy immune from the power of
digital technology.
In Kenya, we recognised this quickly enough, and moved swiftly to take
advantage of this development. There is no one alive in Kenya today
who has not felt the power of digital technology.
My Government, therefore, has committed itself to expanding and
intensifying the development and application of digital technology. We
expect this to accelerate our determined drive towards productivity,
efficiency, innovation and accountability.
We trust in the power of digital technology to deliver solutions to
everyday challenges. We rely on ICT to bring opportunities for all
Kenyans, and especially our youth. We know that technology can make
our people prosperous, and our nation truly great.
I am conscious of increasing challenges to our growth, including
competition, corruption and crime. However, I am confident in the
promise of technology to enable us conquer them.
To do this, our economy requires a sustainable initiative to empower
successive groups of young people to master our digital environment.
Through the ICT Authority in the Ministry of Information, Communication
and Technology, we have developed the Digital Talent Programme, in
collaboration with private sector partners.
This programme brings together the leading lights in our ICT landscape
to mentor, inspire and lead a new wave of digital trailblazers.
I thank all the partners who have undertaken to help us take Kenya's
digital tradition to the next level. We start this programme today. This
batch of young people are talented ICT professionals who will lead the
way and deliver the dream. Kenya's public sector is rapidly digitising to
enhance transparency and accountability.
ICT has eased financial transactions by reducing costs and opening
banking and finance to everyone.
You will deliver the next big thing in business and financial solutions.
Business Process Outsourcing and mobile financial products have
evolved into formidable subsectors of our economy. Today, we begin the
next 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 your
best, and commit yourselves to integrity, diligence, professionalism and
focus.
In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, prosperity is not magic. Prosperity
is also not some abstract notion to be debated and discussed. It involves
the delivery of real solutions to real problems faced by real people known
to you and me. Prosperity is the work of individuals and groups. It is the
work of people like you.
It is in initiatives like this Digital Talent Programme that our hope for
sustainable economic growth lies. It is time for us to grow beyond the
projected 7% to over 10%.
I wish you all the best as you commence a meaningful, rewarding and
immensely exciting chapter of your careers.
I now declare the Digital Talent Programme officially launched.
Thank you. God bless you.