ICT CS Mucheru joins Richard Branson, Sergey Brin at Blockchain forum in Morocco

david nganga

July 10, 2018 7:37 PM

The forums is being held in Morocco

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Among those attending the exclusive forum that is being hosted by billionaire, Sir Richard Branson, is Google Co-Founder, Sergey Brin and Kenya's ICT Secretary Joe Mucheru — the only African at the forum.

The 4-day Blockchain Summit, which ends tomorrow, is focusing on promising ways through which blockchain technology can improve the lives of people in Africa and the Middle East.

Speaking at the forum, Mucheru – who is also a member of the Blockchain Alliance, says blockchain innovation needs to come from within Africa and stay there.

The former Google country manager says he wants to help young African coders learn how to write blockchain code as a matter of preserving their culture.

BitPesa

Ghana-based Bitland and Kenya-based Land Layby are already working to use blockchain to create formally recognized infrastructures for proving land ownership.

The World Economic Forum estimates that 90 per cent of Africa’s land is “completely” undocumented.

Mucheru, who was once an investor in BitPesa, says he is hopeful that the Nairobi-based bitcoin payments firm will list on the NSE someday.

Founded in 2013, the firm was among the first wave of bitcoin startups and has since grown to 70 employees, in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon and Uganda.

CS Mucheru’s participation in the forum comes nearly six months since the ICT CS formed an 11-member taskforce on Blockchain and Internet of Things Technology. Former ICT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Bitange Ndemo was appointed to chair an 11-member Taskforce on Blockchain Technology.

The task force was set up following a directive by President Uhuru Kenyatta to the ICT Ministry in February to form a task force that would focus on how Kenya can leverage on Blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.

President Kenyatta said the country has been a leader in digital innovation and would not be left behind in the latest trends.

david nganga