We have examined the ICT Practitioners Bill for an extended period on this platform.
The bill has been controversial for multiple reasons.
And now, Parliament has passed it, meaning it is now part of the law.
But why is it controversial in the first place, and what were the issues that were raised by the public about it?
Well, the Bill was first discussed back in 2016, but ICT CS Joe Mucheru kicked it out because it was allegedly duplicating regulations that were already in existence.
“The key contentious issue with the bill was the need for all ICT Practitioners to be registered by the Professional Body Institution of ICT Practitioners; and that one of the key requirements for registration was a University Degree from a reputable University. Also, key stakeholders felt that the Bill was not representative of the situation on the ground and would hinder innovation rather than encourage it contrary to the ICT policy and government development agenda,” we reported.
We can also surmise that it only complicates the life of the Kenyan youth or any other person with a genuine interest in ICT.
We have seen people quote why they went into IT, and that is because of the low barriers of entry — access to a laptop with an internet connection was all they needed.
Thus, we cannot imagine how much more difficult the first few years in this field might have been had these people been also trying to navigate the bureaucracies of registering as an “ICT practitioner.”
In the same breath, if this is how this government plans to create jobs, by creating government positions for people who probably don’t understand the space (The Council) and then taxing the youth in licensing fees to pay those salaries, we are indeed taking many steps backward.
At one time, the experts at KICTANET sharply opposed the bill.
“Currently, there is no evidence to show the rationale that informed this Bill. This is the third time the Bill is being introduced and yet once again the proposers of the Bill have failed to show why we need the Bill or the ills it will cure,” KICTANet had said.
The Council
The Council mentioned in the bill will now be tasked with planning, arranging, coordinating, and overseeing professional training and development of ICT practitioners; promoting the international recognition of the Institute, and performing any other functions described under the provisions of the bill.
The Council shall also maintain the register of ICT practitioners and can remove the name of dead members, or those who have committed offenses under the Act.
Practitioners are given a one-year license (Jan to December), after which they can renew them.
The licenses attract fees, which are paid yearly.
Additional details about the bill can be read here.
