The Draft Kenya National ICT Policy currently being discussed by stakeholders has some telling statements. It notes:

“Measures will be put in place to encourage the provision of infrastructure for access to local, national and international information resources. The aim will be to provide sufficient Internet capacity for schools, colleges, and businesses; and to provide a reliable and secure Internet infrastructure. A nationwide network consisting of fibre optic, satellite and terrestrial radio communication networks will be established. The Government will encourage the use of the capacity of Kenya Pipeline Company, Kenya Railways Corporation, Kenya Power and Lighting Company as well as any other national organization that have rights of way to develop the national information infrastructure. The government will also support the development of multi-purpose community, public library and post office owned public access centers.

“To save the country on royalty payments to foreign manufacturers and to support the local software industry, the development and deployment of Open Source software for public and private sector will be encouraged.”

The document doesn’t stop there. It goes on to add.

“The Government recognizes that the provision of modern telecommunications infrastructure and information networks is the key to rapid economic and social development of the country. Telecommunications is critical for the development of the information technology industry and has widespread ramifications for the entire economy.

“The overall Government objective for the sector is to optimize its contribution to the development of the Kenyan economy as a whole by ensuring the availability of efficient, reliable and affordable telecommunication services throughout the country. A key element of the new telecommunication policy is attracting foreign direct investment and stimulating domestic investment.”

To this end the government declares its intentions on how it is going to achieve these ideals. These are: encourage competition and provide customers with an array of choice; license more operators to provide local, national and international telecommunications links and promote network unbundling services; establishing a neutral framework for licensing; restructure Telkom Kenya and prepare it for listing at the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) through privatization; provide affordable internet services across the country; establish a Universal Access Fund (UAF) to promote increased access of telecommunications services; expand the existing telecommunications network and develop national broadband network and together with other regional partners encourage the actualization of RASCOM (African Satellite Project) and East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy) project.

On paper this sounds like music. However it is imperative that the government be judged by its statements. As far as encouraging competition so as to give customer diversity of choice is concerned, Kenya today prides itself of three mobile phone operators. These are, Safaricom, Celtel and Econet Wireless (who were recently licensed after a grueling yet thrilling court battle, that symbolized a victory for liberalization, free market forces and an independent judiciary). On this score the government has done well though there is still room for more.

The government has further licensed another regional operator to provide telecommunication service in the expansive North Eastern Province, which for decades has been a clear epitome of neglect, ruin and backwardness as far as telecommunications are concerned. Again this indicates that the government is serious in its commitment and is willing to involve the private sector in financing infrastructure to encourage rural access and connectivity. The licensing of both a new cell phone operator, a regional provider, opening up of internet gateways coupled with the planned public sale of Telkom Kenya (the country’s main fixed line provider) by putting mid-this year as the restructuring deadline are moves in the right direction. In all these the government needs to be commended

But when it comes to providing affordable Internet services; increased access to telecommunications services; setting up of the Universal Access Fund; expansion of telecommunications network and development of broadband network, here the government falls flat. It has done very little in all these and seems to be groping in the dark. These key fundamentals that determine infrastructure and access issues are given lip-service by the government. The reason for this is that, only one ministry in the government seems keen to push this agenda; the ministry of information and communications. No other ministry appears interested in such a pertinent concern as rural access. For instance, the ministries of transport, roads and public works and energy appear lost when it comes to ICTs, yet their input, area of expertise, personnel and existing infrastructure are notably needed in helping Kenya and by extension the region become a knowledge society faster. In other words, there lacks an inter-ministerial synergy convergence to help harness ICT4D (Information, communications technologies for development). As far as Universal Access Fund is concerned, “all is quiet on the Western Front.”

In the same plank the question of costs and affordability seems to have been relegated to oblivion status. And this is where the gist of the matter stands. Both the government and the private sector may sink billions of shillings to facilitate a modern infrastructure, but as long as the tariffs remain high, all these efforts will come a cropper. Most people both in the rural areas and towns find telecommunications tariffs, postal and courier service charges and Internet connection levies unfriendly to their pockets. This is a situation that needs to be looked at urgently and rectified.

And this is where the question of the EASSy Cable comes in. Espoused in the EASSy Cable is an undersea fibre optic cable system linking some 13 African countries namely South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia. In this EASSy project, which is estimated to gobble a whooping US$150 – US$200 million, will be the last link to circle Africa by high capacity optic fibre telecommunications network. So far the EASSy Cable project has been listed as a top priority project by the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) E-Commission.
Should the EASSy Cable come into fruition as envisaged, it will not only help integrate some 25 African countries but it will also avoid the routing of phone connections through Europe and other places thus ensuring calling costs tumble in the region. In other words, the EASSy Cable is an added value and a lifeline of some sorts when it comes to affordability and tariff charges. However the saddest bit about EASSy is that it is still in the drawing table.

Enjoined to this the government also intends to increase the international Internet bandwidth from the current 35Mbps to 1Gbps by the year 2015. This too is an area that needs to be relooked at afresh. The question is, if the government is serious about development, and truly recognizes the role played by ICTs why then must it wait for some 10 years to increase the international Internet bandwidth? This query is posed on the premise that the government is fully aware that an enlarged internet bandwidth means easier, faster and speedier data transmission via internet, why then must it take so long to let its citizens reap such benefits? In the same vein the government is duty bound to make computers, cell phones and other related ICT components affordable. This can only happen if the government gives incentives to industry players and takes a keen interest in the telecommunications sector.

In other words the government must play an active role in ensuring its citizenry accesses and gains from a robust telecommunications infrastructure. On this score there are no excuses.

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