Kenya : Member of Parliament too depend on Internet Cafes

James Ratemo in The East African Standard, Nairobi Reports :

Can't find your Member of Parliament in his Continental House office? Try looking in the nearest city cyber-cafe.

Despite costing the National Assembly some Sh465 million - and boasting such necessities as an ultra-modern gym - MPs' offices in the building are not connected to the Internet.

"We cannot communicate with colleagues nor access the outside world," Gem MP, Mr Jakoyo Midiwo, yesterday told an Information and Communication Technology workshop for MPs. "Our alleged website is dead."

Midiwo and other MPs took the ICT secretary, Mr Juma Okech, to task over delays in providing them with Internet access.

Okech, however, assured them the Government was committed to a paperless public sector and urged the MPs to pass the ICT Bill, currently in the House.

The MPs were meeting to reflect on the role of Parliament in the information communication society. The two-day workshop is supported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, through the e-Policy Resource Network, and the Government of Canada.

Copyright © 2006 The East African Standard.