A 144 core fibre optic cable is being laid to ensure that residents of Turkana, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu and a section of Kakamega are connected to high-speed internet.
The 630-kilometre cable is part of the National Optic Fibre Backbone project, a national government development under the ICT Authority.
It was launched last week by Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok and ICT Authority officials led by CEO Katherine Getao. It will run from Nakodok/Nadapal at the border of Kenya and South Sudan to Eldoret.
Nanok welcomed the fibre network, saying it will improve communication, trade and service delivery in the five counties.
“The fibre optic cable work is advanced and almost complete. We are looking forward to those cables being connected to various institutions so that we begin benefitting from the high-speed internet. ICT Authority said the speed will be 100 gigabytes per second, the fastest in the region,” he said.
Getao said her organisation, with the support of the ICT ministry, the Eastern Africa Regional Transport Trade and Development Facilitation project and agencies like KeNHA, is developing infrastructure to boost trade and development in eastern Africa.
She said KeNHA is also building a road in the same corridor to open up the region.
The Authority intends to connect social institutions like hospitals and schools, she said.
“What we are doing is the backbone, it is like the highway and then with other partners we shall do the last mile where we shall connect individual institutions,” Getao added.