The government has lauded its free Wi-Fi hotspots project saying it is delivering services better than commercial service providers.
ICT CS Eliud Owalo has been roaming the country launching free Wi-Fi hotspots to accelerate what the President said was internet connectivity to spur economic growth
“We monitor utilisation of the Wi-Fi including those who are using free Wi-Fi hotspots. I launched a Wi-Fi in an area which I would describe as opposition-dominated,” Owalo said.
“That very day in the evening when we were monitoring utilisation we realised that a key opposition figure had abandoned his paid provider and migrated to the free Wi-Fi hotspot and we have been monitoring, he has stayed there permanently,” he added.
The CS did not reveal who the key opposition figure was.
In an interview on Wednesday, Owalo said the free internet is working to the expected standards such that even senior opposition figures are abandoning paid internet connections for free Wi-Fi.
The CS reiterated the government’s commitment to provide services to all Kenyans irrespective of their political affiliation or voting patterns.
He said the ministry monitors and evaluates the utilisation and impact to be able to tell whether it is adding value in the areas it was launched.
“If it is not adding value it negates the rationale. We want to see if the Wi-Fi is increasing the level of activity in those regions where they have been established,” he noted.
President William Ruto has reiterated his commitment to delivering 25,000 free wifi hotspots across the country.