Image Courtersy of PSCU
Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta used his Madaraka Day speech yesterday to pledge technological resources towards improving the country’s security.
Kenyatta said 51 years after its independence Kenya was faced with “a new breed of terrorists, who use our freedom and tolerance against us”, and pledged technological resources towards the country’s security following a wave of recent violent attacks.
HumanIPO reported earlier this month the Kenyan government announced a KSh12.3 billion (US$140.65 million) contract with local operator Safaricom for the installation of a state-of-the-art integrated security system across Nairobi and Mombasa, and Kenyatta said this was part of a wider push towards enhancing security.
“Our first defence is our men and women in the disciplined services. My government will stand with them,” he said. “We have introduced CCTV cameras in major cities and towns, as well as broadband connectivity at border points. We have already provided at least 1,200 vehicles for police, which in time will also be equipped with CCTV cameras.”
Technology will also be utilised in re-registering Kenyans on a new national digital database, which is designed to assist the government in identifying persons with forged or fake identification documents.
The database will contain biometric details of all persons, land, establishments and assets, with the Ministry of ICT and the MInistry of Interior and Coordination of National Government spearheading the exercise.
“The resources we need have already been set aside and we can expect a full and comprehensive register of persons and property, enterprises and land,” Kenyatta said. “Contrary to the voices of controversy, our only aim is to unify the management of our information into a single, credible source of truth about matters of public concern.”
He said the enterprise called for “responsibility and partnership between Kenyans and their government”.
“Each of us above the age of 12 should make sure that our details are captured in the new register.Equally, the Ministries of Interior and Information should show diligence, so that we can see the exercise done before the end of the next financial year.”
