Kenya’s President William Ruto has appointed Eliud Owalo as his point man in his efforts to improve ICT and the Kenyan digital economy.
Eliud Owalo takes over from Joseph Wakaba Mucheru, who has held the post since 2015. Owalo thanked Ruto for entrusting him with the Ministry of ICT, noting that it is a critical area in the country’s development.
“I take this early opportunity to sincerely thank the President and Commander in Chief of the Defense Forces of the Republic of Kenya, Dr. William Samoei Ruto for having nominated me to serve Kenyans as the Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication and the Digital Economy,” Owalo said on Tuesday after his nomination.
He promised to serve diligently once he takes over office.
“There is no greater honour than to serve one’s country. I promise to be responsive to the needs of Kenyans and to serve selflessly with diligence and efficacy,” he said.
“Overall, I thank the almighty God for giving me this opportunity to serve my countrymen and women as by serving God’s people, you serve God.” he added.
A quick check reveals that Owalo has no experience in this sector, but the roles of a Cabinet Secretary include assisting with the effective implementation of the Government’s priorities and assisting with proper and effective Government decision-making, which his CV demonstrates he can do based on his leadership and skills over the years.
Where are the opportunities?
As the digital economy accelerates, the benefits of every organization, no matter how little, becoming more digital are considerable. Technology is currently being applied to every facet of life in ways that were unthinkable just a few years ago.
The rate of technological change is staggering, and only those businesses that recognize and embrace these developments stand a chance of surviving.
With the rise of cloud, mobile, and big data, and in a world where digital technology is lowering physical distances and entry barriers, SMEs (also a key agenda in President Ruto’s manifesto) will face more competition from digitally-enabled competitors both at home and, increasingly, overseas.
Based on this, Owalo has to focus on going fully digital, broadband, online safety, telecoms markets and consumer policy, media, broadcasting, and the creative industry.