Kenya to cut off unlisted mobiles
President Kibaki has directed that all unregistered phone numbers be cut off from the networks to protect Kenyans from criminals.
The Head of State said the action would wipe out all unregistered mobile lines being used to perpetrate criminal activities and thus safeguard people from high-tech crimes.
The President was speaking on Tuesday when he presided over the official switching on of Telkom Kenya-Orange's 3G Network at the Laico Regency Hotel, Nairobi.
During the occasion, President Kibaki castigated increased vandalism of vital installations in the telecommunication sector which he termed a major setback to vital sector saying it was an impediment to the realisation of the country’s development goals.
He was, however, optimistic that recently enacted laws would safeguard telecommunications and electricity infrastructures installed for the benefit of both the consumer and service providers.
President Kibaki said the government had enacted laws that provided for harsher sentences to eradicate vandalism of vital telecommunication and electric installations.
In order to develop Kenya into a knowledge driven economy, President Kibaki directed the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology to team up with other line ministries to convert at least two public universities into institutes of technology.
He said this was important in order to create requisite capacity to move the country to greater heights.
Research
President Kibaki said: “In the last few years my government in partnership with the private sector has realised major milestones towards the achievement of a knowledge based economy.”
He stressed that the institutions would focus on research in science and technology, and strive to produce competent graduates who can sustain the economy in the future.
“We must all work together to develop home grown capacity in these new technologies. In this regard, I urge mobile operators to work with the government and the universities to realise the human capacity we need for our 2030 vision on technology. It is anticipated that the technology we are launching today, will make it easier for the said institutions of learning to access the required data and information at any location any time.”
During the occasion, he affirmed that the government was also promoting knowledge based industries covering both high and medium technology industries.
These include business process outsourcing, computer/electronic hardware manufacturing, software development, information and broadcasting, filming and digital content development, communication and financial services, among others.
“The aim is to increase our service sector contribution to GDP to more than 30 per cent by the year twenty thirty. The growth of these sub-sectors holds much promise for job creation for our youthful population that has proved extremely competent in the area of ICT,” President Kibaki remarked.
Commending Telkom Kenya for positioning themselves as major data services player in the country, President Kibaki asserted that the government recognised the important role that access to knowledge, information and communication had in the development of any country.
