Focus Media (Kigali)
Rodrigue Rwirahira
16 June 2009
"Before, I didn't know what a computer was, I had never seen one. But now that I have learnt about it, I understand that it is an important tool that can transform your life."
At the age of 52, Josephine Mukanyiribambe has just received a certificate after having followed a computer training organized by the RDB/IT section in Nyamagabe district. As a member of an agriculture cooperative, she is particularly interested in the E-Soko project, which allows them to check prices and sell their produce online, and access a wider national and regional market.
Local Government Minister Protais Musoni and Nkubito Bakuramutsa, the deputy CEO in charge of information technology, hand over equipment to one of the district representatives. (photo Rodrigue Rwirahira)
In order to make it easier for districts to organize such training, RDB/IT last week handed over computer equipment to 12 pilot districts. According to Nkubito Bakuramutsa, the deputy CEO in charge of information technology at RDB, his division aims at supporting the deployment and exploitation of ICT to ensure technology-led operations within the public sector, especially at the local level.
"There is no way this can be attained without the decentralization process; through it we are accessing even the bottom local levels which facilitate us to implement our goals of deploying ICT materials and training," Bakuramutsa explained.
He further remarked that the donated equipment will ensure quicker and better service delivery by the districts to the community.
Alphonse Munyentwari, the mayor of Nyamagabe district, pointed out that services would not only improve at the district level, but also in the sector offices which have now all access to electricity and the internet. Moreover, the equipment will be used for training, especially through cooperatives and associations so as to reach a large number of people.
And according to Maurice Nyabyenda, ICT officer in Nyamagabe, the new equipment will also greatly contribute to the success of the E-Rwanda Project, in which public services and information are to be provided online.
"With the new digital cameras, we can now take pictures of events in the district and then put them on our website, so that the whole country knows what is happening here," Nyabyenda said.
RDB/IT also plans to set up a of the local area network in the 12 pilot districts before the end of July, and train 200 district officials from 14 districts in ICT packages relevant to their disciplines.
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