Kenya to establish data sharing centre at JKUAT

NAIROBI, KENYA: Kenya is set to establish a regional data sharing centre to accelerate generation, analysis, management and archival of scientific data to support its development plans.

The Centre to be based at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology will be actualised in partnership with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) and the United Nations.

ICT Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Fred. Matiang'i said the centre will facilitate creation of people-centric, inclusive, open and development oriented information society where people can create, access, utilise and share information and knowledge.

"There is a clear demand for new data sets, manifested by the recent upsurge of request," Matiang'i confirmed.

The Cabinet Secretary also informed the workshop the government will soon table a draft legislation on access to information and data protection to the National Assembly; a legislation that will guide collection and management of information in Kenya.
Matiang'i was speaking at the United Nations Offices where he opened an international workshop on open data for science and sustainability in developing economies.

JKUAT Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mabel Imbuga noted that while large data sets permeate various sectors of Kenya's economy, the country is yet to draw useful insights from such data due to knowledge gaps and inadequate infrastructure.