Kajiado banks on 'Jitume' initiative to expand digital access and opportunities

Kajiado East Member of Parliament Kakuta Mai Mai.[File, Standard]

A Section of Kajiado county leaders are calling on prosecution for individuals allegedly grabbing land meant for government institutions.

Led by Kajiado East Member of Parliament Kakuta Mai Mai, the leaders told the individuals that their days were numbered.

Speaking during the laying of a foundation stone in Kitengela town where a Kajiado Jitume Dugital Center of Excellence is being constructed, the leaders said selfish people were out to grab potions of Government land, and they will not be tolerated.

Kakuta said seventy acres grabbed at the Kitengela Institute of Technology have been retrieved following a directive by President Wiilliam Ruto during his recent visit to the county.

"Through the President's directive that the land be taken back from the selfish individuals, we have been able to fence it back; we will not tolerate anyone who grabs public land in this area," said the lawmaker.

 He said the Kajiado Jitume Digital Centre of Excellence (CoE), makes another step towards expanding access to digital infrastructure, skills, innovation and economic opportunities for young people across the country.

Once completed, the Digital Centre is envisioned to provide an enabling environment where young people, innovators, creatives and entrepreneurs can access digital infrastructure, acquire relevant skills and pursue opportunities within Kenya’s growing digital economy.

The Centre forms part of the Government’s broader investment in building a future-ready workforce and expanding access to digital opportunities at the grassroots through the Jitume Digital Enablement Programme. The programme seeks to establish a Jitume Centre of Excellence in every county, complementing the network of over 300 Jitume Digital Hubs being established across the country.

Maimai said the Centre represents an important investment in the future of young people in Kajiado County.

“We have begun an exciting journey towards digital excellence and skills development in Kajiado East. For a long time, our residents have had to travel to neighbouring counties to access these opportunities. In just a few months, our young people will be able to access digital skills, technology and opportunities right here in their own community. I am confident that we are now firmly on the right path towards empowering our youth to participate and thrive in the digital economy,” said the law maker.

The Centre is expected to provide modern digital infrastructure and spaces that support digital skills development, innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration.

Drawing from the Jitume Centre of Excellence model, the facilities are designed to support areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, software development, cloud computing, cybersecurity, data analytics and digital content creation, alongside collaborative workspaces and high-speed internet connectivity.

Technopolis Development Authority Chief Manager for Construction, Operation & Management, Eng. Anthony Sang said the development of Centres of Excellence across the country is intended to create stronger pathways for young Kenyans to move from digital access and skills development to innovation, entrepreneurship and employment.

“The Jitume Centres of Excellence are about creating an environment where young people can acquire relevant digital skills, innovate and translate their ideas into opportunities. Through the Kajiado Centre, we want to bring the infrastructure and ecosystem needed to participate in the digital economy closer to young people and communities,” said Sang.

Since the inception of the Jitume programme in 2023, nearly 30,000 digital devices have been deployed nationally to train more than 100,000 young people, with 91,428 accessing digital jobs.

The Kajiado Centre will contribute to the Government’s broader ambition of expanding digital infrastructure and opportunities across the country while supporting the development of a digitally skilled workforce capable of participating in emerging areas of the economy.

The Jitume Digital Enablement Programme is implemented by the Technopolis Development Authority in collaboration with the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), ICT Authority (ICTA) and the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF).

Through the programme, the Government is working to create a connected national ecosystem where access to technology is accompanied by skills, innovation, entrepreneurship and pathways to digital work, ensuring that more Kenyans can participate meaningfully in the digital.

The Technopolis Development Authority (formerly Konza Technopolis Development Authority) is Kenya’s statutory agency established under the Technopolis Act, 2026 to develop, manage and promote technopolises as world-class smart cities, science parks and innovation ecosystems.

Its anchor project, Konza Technopolis, is the flagship Government of Kenya initiative and one of Africa’s leading smart city developments that is a master-planned destination for technology enterprise, research, digital services, innovation and sustainable urban living, located 60 kilometers southeast of Nairobi along the Nairobi–Mombasa corridor.

The Authority provides the enabling infrastructure, governance, investment facilitation, and one-stop-shop services that allow businesses and  researchers.