What is Smart Kigali?
Kigali City is populated about t 1 million
(2012) people, is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is situated near
the geographic centre of the nation. The city has been the economic, cultural,
and transport hub of Rwanda since it became capital at independence in 1962.
The main residence and offices of the President of Rwanda are located in the
city, as are the government ministries. The city is coterminous with the
province of Kigali City, which was enlarged in January 2006, as part of local
government reorganisation in the country. The city's urban area covers about
70% of the municipal boundaries
According to the Records of United Nations Broadband Commission for
Digital Development 2013, only 8 percent of Rwandans are have access to the
internet
Smart Kigali is a provision of free broadband Wi-Fi Internet access in public places that include commercial buildings, Bus Stations,
Airport, in public transport buses and cabs; Improving Internet connectivity
and access in Hotels and restaurants.
Smart Kigali this initiative is aimed at modernizing the
lifestyle of Kigali City dwellers and visitors through use of ICT for better
service delivery
According to Alex Ntale, the Director of the Rwanda’s
information and communications technology chamber, “Smart Kigali really is a
test, it is giving people a taste of better things to come.
Kigali became the first city in East Africa to launch free
wireless Internet in specific areas of the capital last week under the “Smart
Kigali” initiative, joining the ranks of “digital cities” such as Toronto,
Houston, Buenos Aires, Bangkok and Taipe
The government strongly believes that information and
communications technology can enable Rwanda leap-frog the key stages of
industrialisation
Rwanda ranks as one of the least corrupt countries in
Africa, while on the World Bank’s ease of Doing Business Index for 2013, it ranks as the 3rd easiest place to do
business in sub-Saharan Africa and the 52nd out of 185 countries examined
globall.
“We want broadband Internet accessibility to be a basic need
for everyone where people can be able to access information anytime and this
will speed up the country’s development where citizens can also get various
services online,” noted Minister Nsengimana.
This was the first step in a strategy which aims to provide
wi-fi coverage to all schools and public buildings and buses, hospitals,
commercial buildings, taxi-parks and restaurants.
“I am so excited about the wireless Internet. I can now
browse the internet, read news and send e-mails. I just come here to surf the
Internet, since I am still looking for a job,” said Goreti Uwamariya, a student
at Kigali Independent University.
