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President William Ruto has expressed concern over the misuse of the government’s free internet service, criticising online users for engaging in unhelpful activities.
Speaking at the groundbreaking listing ceremony of Linzi Sukuk, an unlisted securities platform on the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday, Ruto explained that the government has provided free Wi-Fi across the country to help Kenyans generate income. However, he noted that many users have been using the service for what he called “Kusalimiana”, or exchanging “inspirational messages” with political leaders, especially during the recent protests against the 2024 Finance Bill.
“It will be a very good experience, apart from what is happening now, the platform is being used by ‘kusalimiana,’” Ruto commented. He added humorously, “Sometimes, you become the creator of your own troubles. When we provided Wi-Fi across Kenya and made it free, we intended it to be used for good purposes, but sometimes it was used to send us an encouraging message.”
The President stressed that the last mile connectivity project is aimed at helping young people earn income through e-commerce. He highlighted foreign exchange trading and investing in government bonds as potential ways for young people to generate income using internet connectivity.
“We provide last-mile connectivity through digital highways. We are extending this to every district in Kenya, providing digital work and digital commerce opportunities for young people across the country,” Ruto said.
Trade Government Bonds and Stocks on NSE
Ruto said he was particularly interested in promoting digital commerce, including government bond trading, stock exchange share trading and foreign exchange trading. He stressed that the increase in Internet penetration in Kenya will provide more people with opportunities to obtain digital jobs and participate in e-commerce activities.
Additionally, the President announced that Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa assured him that the company is actively working on a project to boost e-commerce in the country. Ruto mentioned that Safaricom will work with the National Treasury and other stakeholders to submit a progress report on the project within the next three months.
“The CEO of Safaricom has assured me that they will leverage their extensive network to create a platform for Kenyans to do business and expand our e-commerce footprint.” Ruto said.
“I have been working with various stakeholders including the National Treasury and the Central Bank, as well as companies such as Safaricom, to develop retail trading in stocks and bonds. I am certain that within the next three months we will see more Kenyans participating in bond trading, stock trading and foreign exchange trading, all online.” He added.
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