Senators grill CS Kabogo over ICT budget cuts amid delayed digital projects
One of the major sticking points was the fact that only 37 out of 1450 digital hubs the government had pledged had been connected.
The Senate ICT Committee has pressed CS William Kabogo over the ministry's budget cuts in the face of unfulfilled infrastructure projects, and mounting pending bills.
In a Senate committee session at Parliament buildings on Tuesday, the legislators challenged the Sh423.5 million budget reduction despite the ministry's ambitious targets forcing Kabogo to explain the move.
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"I am new in the ministry, but two months have been enough to catch up. We have engaged the National Treasury, but everything was reduced to zero with the recent supplementary budget. This issue must be resolved at the Cabinet level," Kabogo stated.
The session also saw senators questioning the slow pace of ICT projects that had been earmarked as crucial for Kenya's digital transformation.
One of the major sticking points was the fact that only 37 out of 1450 digital hubs the government had pledged had been connected.
Moreover, the state had only installed 1,491 out of the targeted 5,000 Public Wi-Fi hotspots.
On this matter, Kwale Senator Boy Issa Juma demanded a comprehensive report on the completed hubs and their associated costs.
In response ICT and Digital Economy Principal Secretary John Tanui admitted delays, attributing them to logistical challenges and funding constraints.
"High Initial power costs have been a huge challenge in our public Wi-Fi installation drive. As such, discussions with county governments and the State Department for Urban Development are underway to resolve this issue," said Tanui.
Pending bills within the ministry also became a focal issue, with senators raising concerns about their continuous accumulation.
"Contractors and service providers are struggling due to delayed payments," noted Nominated Senator Hezena Lemaletia.
Kabogo admitted that the backlog was worsening due to the budget cuts and reiterated that it was an issue requiring urgent intervention.
The committee also scrutinized the challenges facing state-owned enterprises under the ministry, specifically the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) and the Postal Corporation.
"KBC is in a total mess. A planned Sh 9 billion injection from a Spanish fund has been put on hold until redundancies and inefficiencies are addressed," replied the CS.
He further hinted at an ongoing effort to develop a sustainable revenue model for the Postal Corporation, awaiting Cabinet approval.
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