Belgium will fund the last mile County Connectivity Project to the tune of over Sh2.4 billion.
The project involves connecting County governments to National Government Ministries through the National Fibre Optic Infrastructure (NOFBI).
The financial contract for the project was signed Monday evening at State House, Nairobi by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance Henry Rotich and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belgium Didier Reynders.
President Uhuru Kenyatta witnessed the signing ceremony and lauded the cordial and bilateral relations between the two countries.
He commended the project saying once complete it will enhance government services and ensure accountability of government funds especially through the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).
He said the project would greatly contribute to transparency and accountability especially in the county governments.
The President said there is need for Belgium to deepen bilateral relations into multilateral considering the many sectors it supports in the country.
Belgium supports reforms in the education sector, the modernization of the energy sector and the improvement of public healthcare.
The County Connectivity Project (CCP) which is in its third phase has been ongoing since 2011.
Phase one was completed in 2013 with three years maintenance contract which ends in September 2016, while phase two is still ongoing.
In phase one, 28 county headquarters were connected to the National Fibre Optic Infrastructure to the ministries in Nairobi.
All the 28 counties are fully functioning and connected to Government Common Core Network (GCCN) with all the sites monitored and supported at the Network Operating Centre (NOC) at the National Treasury.
The objective of phase three is to increase number of connected buildings in the country, connect other government buildings within wireless coverage area and also add other connecting areas to National Fibre Optic Infrastructure (NFOI).
The Deputy Prime Minister was accompanied by the Belgian Ambassador to Kenya Roxane de Bilderling. (PSCU)
