If you thought Githurai Market in Ruiru, Kiambu County was just about fresh veggies and bustling stalls, think again! A whopping 12 public Wi-Fi access points have just been sprinkled like digital fairy dust all over the place, and guess what? Around 4,000 users are currently utilizing the internet access in the area for their everyday activities.
Just some bit of history lane on the WiFi project, President William Ruto, the man himself, swung by just seven days ago to open up the swanky five-story Githurai Market building. President Ruto was there to cut the virtual ribbon giving way to a more improved market that doesn’t only offer veggies but access to the internet as well.
What about the traders? Well, they’re still waiting for their spot since space allocation is still in progress. But here’s where it gets interesting – those 12 Wi-Fi access points are like golden tickets, and they’re not just for traders. Nope, these Wi-Fi waves are for everyone, from the traders hustling their goods to the customers on the hunt for the freshest deals.
Stanley Kamanguya, the ICT Authority CEO, is beaming like a proud parent at a school play. He acknowledged those 12 Wi-Fi points, saying, “More than 4,000 people, traders, and customers alike, are in for a treat. We’re talking about online communication, online markets, and a whole lot of digital awesomeness.”
See, traders aren’t just trading tomatoes anymore; they’re becoming online wizards. With these Wi-Fi points, they’re stepping into the virtual world to buy and sell on platforms like Jikonnect Soko. It’s like opening up a whole new avenue of business, where clicks are the new currency.
This whole Wi-Fi program is part of the government’s master plan to boost the digital economy. They’re calling it the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, or BETA for short. It’s like a digital revolution that’s sweeping across the country, and Githurai Market is just one pit stop on the journey.
The government isn’t going at it alone; they’ve got some private sector buddies helping out too. The big plan is to sprinkle a whopping 25,000 hotspots across the country. It’s like saying, “Hey, online world, Kenya is open for business!”