Fibre optic deal to save Sh170bn, says Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo, Kenya

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The Kenya government will save Sh170 billion through a deal between the Kenya Power Company and the Ministry of Information, Communications, and The Digital Economy. This agreement utilizes Kenya Power’s transmission lines to deploy 100,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables nationwide.

Information, Communications, and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo highlighted the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of this plan, which will now complete the fiber optic rollout by 2026 instead of 2027. The previous method of digging trenches cost Sh2.3 million per kilometer, whereas using power lines costs only Sh600,000 per kilometer.

Owalo emphasized that this arrangement will provide high-speed internet to every household and business with a Kenya power meter. Speaking at Nyamira Girls High School in Siaya County, he reiterated the government’s commitment to expanding high-speed internet access as a crucial driver of economic growth.