Thursday, 15 May, 2025
Lawmakers push ICT Ministry on clarity, priorities, and people-centric planning
Tuesday, 13th May 2025 Parliament Buildings
The National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation (CII) Chaired by Hon. John Kiarie on Tuesday took the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy to task over financial opacity, pending bills, and the slow rollout of flagship digital programs.
The session, convened to deliberate on the Budget Estimates for the 2025/2026 financial year, turned into a candid examination of the Ministry’s performance, raising sharp questions about accountability, cost effectiveness, and alignment with presidential directives.
Hon. Erastus Kivasu led the charge with a pointed question on Studio Mashinani:
“You have done ten in ten years, and now plan to do just two? Is this a strategy or a convenience to ride on the digital hub agenda?”
MPs decried what they termed as unclear and inconsistent costing for major projects. Hon. Alfah Miruka questioned the Ministry's budgeting approach, saying, “You’re asking for millions with no clear link to output. Where’s the value? Where’s the plan?”
The matter was compounded when the Ministry revealed that there was currently no active budget for Studio Mashinani despite earlier proposals pegging the cost of four studios at KSh40 million. Members questioned discrepancies, noting that a similar quotation from KBC was approximately KSh30 million.
Committee members further demanded a detailed breakdown of pending bills, raising red flags over figures that did not align with Treasury records. The Ministry disclosed liabilities totalling KSh7.3 billion, including KSh6.9 billion owed to the Postal Corporation of Kenya and KSh450 million linked to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
“This data doesn’t tally with what Treasury has submitted. So who is misleading the House?” asked Hon. Miruka.
Hon. Jematiah maintained that prioritization is key in times of fiscal constraints.
“If budget ceilings are tight, then the Ministry must go back to the drawing board. Government commitments, especially presidential directives, should not be the ones suffering,” she said.
Attention also turned to the BETA Digital Superhighway program, particularly the rollout of 1,400 digital hubs across the country. Lawmakers questioned the implementation delays, conflict in agency roles, and the sustainability of facilities constructed without clear equipping plans.
“Why build through CDF when there's no clarity on who supplies the equipment or manages the infrastructure?” posed Hon. Shakeel Shabbir.
ICTA CEO Mr. Stanley Kamanguya admitted to delays but assured the committee that coordination issues especially with KPLC were being resolved.
Worldcoin’s controversial biometric data collection also resurfaced, with MPs seeking clarity on whether the High Court’s ruling requiring data deletion had been complied with.
“Who deletes the data Worldcoin or the Communications Authority? And how can we be sure it’s been deleted?” asked Hon. Gideon Kimaiyo.
The Data Commissioner reported that Worldcoin had filed an affidavit claiming the data was erased in 2023, but verification was still ongoing.
Another recurring concern was cybersecurity. The Committee pressed for a centralized, well-funded strategy to protect Kenya’s digital infrastructure, citing a KSh2.8 billion funding shortfalls.
“Cybersecurity is not something you do in pieces. Government must stop working in silos,” warned Hon. John Kiarie.
Lawmakers also flagged concerns over the limited digital connectivity in health facilities, warning that Universal Health Coverage could not be effectively implemented without robust ICT infrastructure.
“You can’t digitize healthcare without the backbone of connectivity. This is urgent,” said Hon. Kimaiyo.
The underwhelming performance of the KDEAP project jointly funded by the World Bank was noted, with low absorption rates drawing concern from MPs.
“You’ve had the funding. Why haven’t you spent it? Should we cut your budget next time?” challenged Hon. Miruka.
The Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) also featured prominently, with Prof. J. Khamasi lamenting the budget cuts threatening the viability of one of Kenya’s key scientific institutions.
“At this rate, KAIST can’t even hire one professor per department. How do we expect CUE to accredit such a university?” he posed.
As the Committee concludes its review of the Ministry’s budget estimates, the message from MPs was clear: vision without execution is just talk.
“We’re not here to rubber-stamp figures. We want strategies that work, spending that reflects national priorities, and results that benefit Kenyans,” Chairperson Hon. John Kiarie concluded.