1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
Countries that have harnessed the potential of Information and
Communications Technologies (ICTs) have attained significant social and
economic development. In addition, they are rapidly transforming into
information and knowledge-based economies.
The Government, therefore, recognizes the role of ICTs in the social and
economic development of the nation and has promulgated a national ICT
Policy based on the Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment
Creation (2003-2007).
This policy seeks to facilitate sustained economic growth and poverty
reduction; promote social justice and equity; mainstream gender in national
development; empower the youth and disadvantaged groups; stimulate
investment and innovation in ICT; and achieve universal access. It is based on
internationally accepted standards and best practices, particularly the
COMESA Model adopted by the COMESA Council of Ministers in March
2003.
The policy is based on four guiding principles: infrastructure development,
human resource development, stakeholder participation and appropriate
policy and regulatory framework.
1.2 STATUS OF ICT IN KENYA
Kenya has witnessed significant growth in the ICT sector as demonstrated by
the number of telephone lines, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), the number
of Internet users, broadcasting stations, and market share of each one of them.
The Government has liberalised the mobile cellular market and currently,
there are two mobile cellular operators. Available statistics indicates that
there were:
(a) 260,000 fixed telephone line subscribers and 3.0 million cellular mobile
subscribers by June 2004, translating into fixed teledensity of 0.75 per
hundred inhabitants for fixed and 9.75 per hundred inhabitants for
mobile against the world average of 19 and 21 respectively.
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