Kenyan govt starts building USD 27 mln fibre cable at South Sudan border with World Bank co-funding

The ICT Authority of Kenya said it has begun construction of a 630 km high-speed fibre-optic cable at Nadapal, a community in the Rift valley province on the border with South Sudan. The USD 27 million project is funded by the government of Kenya and World Bank and aims to ease communication in remote areas as well as open up the northern frontier region. It will significantly lower internet costs in towns such as Eldoret, Kitale, Lodwar, Kakuma, Lokichar and Lokichogio, according to the Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok. 

The project was launched simultaneously with the commissioning of the recently rehabilitated Eldoret to Nakodok fibre-optic cable. The project has been under implementation since November 2015 and will close in December 2021.

ICT Authority CEO Katherine Getao said the authority has completed the rehabilitation of fibre-optic cable from Eldoret to Nadapal, with part of the route being completed using a wireless system. This section of the project will provide connectivity between the Northern Rift part of Kenya to the counties of Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Turkana and West Pokot. 

She said that she appreciated the close collaboration that was fostered by the ICT, roads and energy sectors leading to the development of more cost-effective and sustainable infrastructure, through an integrated approach. Getao added that the ICT infrastructure will be used to connect public and social institutions including hospitals, government offices and schools. Some of the capacity will be leased to telecommunications operators to raise funds to support its maintenance.