The Government’s Jitume Digital Enablement Programme is enabling hundreds of young people in Bungoma County to access online jobs, digital skills training, and new income opportunities, as Kenya advances its drive to build a globally competitive digital workforce.
The programme, led by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy and implemented by the Technopolis Development Authority (formerly Konza Technopolis Development Authority), has continued to broaden access to digital infrastructure, literacy, and online work opportunities for youth nationwide through the rollout of Jitume Digital Hubs.
Bungoma County is hosting nine Jitume Digital Hubs in Kabuchai, Webuye West, Kimilili, Chemoge, Tongaren, and Kanduyi. These hubs are equipping young people with practical digital skills, internet connectivity, mentorship, and digital devices, enabling them to actively participate in the digital economy and access online employment.
Youth beneficiaries at the Bungoma National Polytechnic Jitume Hub reiterated that the initiative has significantly improved their employability, opened pathways to digital work, and enabled them to earn income through online opportunities and skills development.
Speaking during an engagement session with youth at the institution, Ruth Muriithi, Manager, Knowledge Economy and Innovation, said the programme is strengthening Kenya’s position in the global digital economy by ensuring young people are not left behind in the digital revolution.
“Kenya continues to rank among Africa’s leading countries in internet connectivity and digital innovation. Initiatives such as Jitume are critical in ensuring that young people at the grassroots level can access digital skills, online jobs, and technology infrastructure that empower them economically and position Kenya competitively in the global digital economy,” she said.
The Jitume Digital Literacy Initiative is part of Kenya’s wider digital transformation agenda under the National Digital Masterplan 2022–2032, which aims to position the country as a leading digital economy in Africa while supporting the government’s goal of creating one million digital jobs by 2032.
Since its inception in 2023, nearly 350 Jitume Digital Hubs have been established nationwide, with plans underway to roll out 1,450 hubs across all wards in the 47 counties. To date, more than 240,000 young people have received digital skills training, while about 92,000 digital job linkages have been facilitated for Kenyan youth.
The programme is helping to expand access to technology in underserved areas, bridge the digital divide, and equip young people with practical digital skills needed in a fast-changing global economy shaped by artificial intelligence, automation, and online work.
Jitume Digital Hubs serve as community-based digital empowerment centres, offering access to computers, reliable internet, digital literacy training, mentorship, innovation spaces, and online work opportunities. Construction of Jitume Centres of Excellence in each county is also ongoing, with expanded facilities planned for innovators, creatives, and digital workers.
The programme is jointly implemented by the Technopolis Development Authority, the Communications Authority of Kenya, and the ICT Authority under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, in partnership with the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF).
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