Kenya’s technology community has joined the family and friends in mourning over the passing of the late Dr Fernando Wangila who passed on Friday.
Dr. Fernando Wangila was the current ICT Director for the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and was known for his work in the digital transformation of the authority.
Dr Wangila joined the NTSA in 2014 as the Senior Deputy Director, Head of Information & Communications Technology Research & Innovation.
His work involved managing tech operations in the government body across 47 counties.
His death was reported by CIO East Africa who said they were ‘deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Dr. Wangila Fernando.” “Our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends,” they said on their Twitter feed.
We at CIO East Africa are deeply saddened by the untimely demise of @WangilaFernando.
Our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/EHPep8csw5— dx5ve (Formerly CIO Africa) (@dx5ve) June 19, 2020
Expressing their grief Mr. Jerome Ochieng, Principal Secretary for ICT and Innovation said, “Daktari, it is difficult to believe that the Vibrant you is no longer with us, after a very interactive & promising engagement last week on our Landmark project. We will surely miss your great input in the ICT Industry. Shine all the way brother….”
The Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs described the late as “a colleague to us all.”
Grace Githaiga, the Co-Convenor of the Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet), a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation in a statement said:
“His death is a considerable loss, not only to his family but also for Kenya’s technology industry. We recognise him as a champion of digital transformation who made great contributions to Kenya’s tech industry.”
🥺
A champion of industry, meticulous in his delivery, cheerful at heart and a role model to all.
Rest in Power @WangilaFernando school those you join in heaven on Blockchain databases 🙂 as you dedicated yourself to do for us here on earth. Faretheewell 🙏🏿 https://t.co/MEQfzNjJlD— William (Bill) Mathenge (@techlawcrat) June 20, 2020
Victor Kapiyo, Lawyer and Researcher at Lawmark Partners LLP condoled the late saying, “Dr. Fernando Wangila was a leading light in the cybersecurity and ICT sector in Kenya. We are grateful to have hosted him during a KICTANet cybersecurity roundtable meeting. My sincere condolences to his family. He was a good man. He fought the good fight with all his might. May he rest in peace.”
Before joining NTSA, Wangila served as the head of ICT at the Independent Policing Authority Oversight (IPOA).
His efforts to digitize Kenyan’s transport industry earned him the title East Africa’s CIO of the year in 2017. NTSA scooped the top accolade following its brilliance in implementing Transport Information Management System (TIMS).
TIMS was envisioned in 2008 by a multi-stakeholder group led by the Ministry of Transport through a multi-agency initiative to enhance road safety on Kenyan roads.
