1.0 Introduction This Master Plan reviews the Connected Kenya 2017 ICT Master Plan. It regards Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as a range of technologies for gathering, storing, retrieving, processing, analysing, and transmitting information. It recognizes that dynamic market and technology developments have led to convergence where boundaries between previouslyseparate ICT services, networks, and business practices have eroded. ‘The Master Plan takes into account the local, regional and global changes that have an influence on the ICT sector.’ The Master Plan takes into account the local, regional and global changes that have an influence on the ICT sector. At the local level, Kenya enacted a new constitution in 2010, which established a system of devolved Government with 47 lower level County Governments. The operation of the County Governments started in March 2013 after the elections, which included the election of County governors, deputy governors and representatives. The 47 County Governments are now in charge of overseeing some functions such as the provision of health care and maintenance of local roads which were previously the responsibility of Kenya’s National Government. With the devolvement, ICT infrastructure and services are prerequisites to development in each County Government. Kenya’s Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) which advices on revenue division between the National Government and the County Governments has already indicated that 84.5 percent of the revenues will be allocated to the National Government while 15 percent will be allocated to County Governments. The remaining 0.5 percent is designated as an equalization fund. Following this emerging changes, it is imperative that the Master Plan considers the role of ICT not only at the National level, but at the County level and how the infrastructure and services can be integrated to better serve all the citizens. In addition, the Kenyan Government has underscored universal access to ICTs as a major objective of Vision 2030, which is Kenya’s economic blueprint that is aimed at propelling Kenya from a developed to a middle-income country (see Section 2.1). There has been tremendous growth in the ICT sector particularly in the mobile sector, which by September 2013, had 31.3 million subscribers and a penetration of 76.9 per cent. At the same time, there were 25.1 million mobile money subscribers and an estimated 19.1 million Internet users with 47.1 per 100 inhabitants having access to Internet services (CCK, 2014). ..16 .................................................................................................................Towards ...............a...Digital .............Kenya ............ This is an indication that Kenyans are ready to embrace information and communication technology as long as it enhances their perceived quality of life. At the regional level, Kenya aims at improving its trade of goods and services with fellow East Africa Community (EAC) members. ICT has a major role to play in regard to facilitating communication and engagements among the members. There are various planned integrations such as implementation of the customs union, common market, monetary union and political federation including the legal, regulatory, and policy reforms required to accomplish the plans. Seamless ICT infrastructure and info-structure within the community is crucial to address the emerging mobile and cyber security issues perpetuated through ICT and fueled by the borderless nature of the services delivered though the technologies. At the global level, Kenya is a participant and a signatory to a number of international conventions and standards relating to ICT. It is an active member of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). It is also spearheading issues of Internet Governance in the region, which is the development and application by governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet (WGIG, 2005). Kenya is active at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) headquartered in the United States which is responsible for the coordination of the global internet’s systems of unique identifiers and, in particular, ensuring its stable and secure operation. ‘Kenya’s ICT potential has not been leveraged to its maximum’ In addition, Kenya’s Internet Exchange Point (KIXP) has been used as a successful model of public private partnership and is being emulated by other countries developing their own Internet Exchange Points. Kenya enhances its competitiveness through investor friendly arrangements such as Export Processing Zones (EPZ) programme which offers attractive incentives to export oriented investors, and the Investment Promotion Centre (IPC) which promotes all other investment in Kenya. These conditions have created a conducive environment for the growth of the ICT sector, changing the nature of doing business in many sectors including finance, tourism, agriculture and health. 17 Towards a Digital Kenya ..............................................................................................................................................................