Kenya signs undersea cable pact

By John Oyuke

Kenya has entered into partnership with global telecommunications service provider Etisalat to lay the proposed $110 million (Sh7.9 billion) undersea fibre optic cable, popularly known as The East African Marine Systems (Teams).

The cable will connect east and horn of Africa countries to the rest of the world is expected to drastically reduce the cost of telecommunications.

It will also offer high quality broadband connections that will enable the region’s industries and business to be competitive in the global economy.

Telkom Kenya has signed a memorandum of understanding with Etisalat of United Arab Emirates to lay, operate and maintain the cable, which will connect Mombasa and Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman.

Managing director, Mr Sammy Kirui signed the agreement on behalf of Kenya. Information and Communications minister, Mr Mutahi Kagwe, Permanent Secretary Dr Bitange Ndemo, the Director General of Communications Commission of Kenya Mr John Waweru witnessed the signing in Dubai last Wednesday.

"The two parties are committed to run an aggressive race to enable the cable will be ready for service by November next year. The construction and supply contract will be awarded early next year," a statement from the Information and Communications ministry released yesterday said.

Kenya was among the 16 countries that declined to sign the East African Submarine Cable System, also known as Eassy special vehicle protocol mid this year. Kenya was not happy with the fact that Nepad was taking over ownership of the project.

Meanwhile, Kagwe said yesterday the government was only aware of two shareholders in Safaricom.He did not however rule out the fact that other parties, through an internal arrangement, could be holding five per cent of the Vodafone shares. According to a local weekly, Mobitelea Ventures Ltd, said to be associated with prominent figures in the regime of former President Moi, could still hold as much as five per cent of Safaricom.

Isiolo to get international airport

By ALI ABDI

Isiolo could one day be a bustling city with its own international airport serving the tourism and film industries.

The Government has formed a high-powered taskforce to develop the frontier town into a resort city. The 20-member team, chaired by Head of Public Service Mr Francis Muthaura, first met on August 11 at Harambee House in Nairobi.

According to a confidential report shown to The Standard by a member of the team, they have only a few weeks left to compile a report to be presented to the Cabinet in January next year.

The task-force includes three permanent secretaries — from the Transport, Roads and Public Works, and Tourism and Wildlife ministries — as well as the heads of the Kenya Wildlife Services, Kenya Airports Authority, Kenya Tourism Board and Ewaso Nyiro North Development Authority. The chairman and clerk of Isiolo County Council are also in the team.

In a letter dated August 4, Muthaura said the Government is keen to develop the town.

"Isiolo has great potential to contribute to national development because of its strategic location," he said.

While Isiolo is the leading tourist destination in the Northern Circuit, it is still considered a little off the beaten path.

"This is where the tarmac road ends," writes a reviewer for online tourist guide Go2Africa.com. "The frontier town marks the start of Kenya’s north-eastern area of desert scrub, mountains and Lake Turkana."

With its three game parks, Central Isiolo has several luxurious safari camps and tourist-class lodges, among them Samburu Serena and Sarova Shaba. It is also adjacent to Samburu Game Reserve, Meru National Park and other private wildlife conservancies.

Muthaura said the Government is also keen to develop the film industry in the district. Shaba National Park is dubbed ‘Kenya’s Hollywood’ having attracted numerous film-makers over the years. More than ten major films including To Walk With Lions and The White Maasai, as well as TV shows like Survivor Africa have been shot there. Shaba was also home to the world-famous lioness Elsa reared by Joy and George Adamson, the subjects of the movie Born Free.

Muthaura said the tarmacking of Isiolo-Moyale road would connect the town with Nairobi, other neighbouring towns and to northern Kenya. A proposed international airport at the town is also meant to further boost the growth of the town. With its proximity to towns around Mt Kenya, the proposed airport is expected to serve Meru districts, Laikipia, Embu and Nyeri.

Other proposed facilities include hotels, casinos, golf courses, polo and camel derby stadiums. Camel riding and derby already exist in the area but Sarova Shaba plans to set up a golf course that straddles the Ewaso Nyiro River.

The task-force have planned to visit game parks, existing game lodges, the Isiolo-Moyale road and the sites of the proposed Isiolo airport later this month.

Going postal

By Kenneth Kwama

G4S Security Services (Kenya) could be the first private company to offer postal services in the local market if the Communications Commission of Kenya approves its application.

According to a company fact sheet, the company plans to offer the full range of postal services, currently being offered by the Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK), which include postage stamps, courier, letter handling and box number rentals. G4S Communications Manager, Mr Carlos Kioko and General Manager-Courier, Mr Eliud Muriithi confirmed that the company was preparing to offer postal services to its clients.

"The MD (Mr Ken Wood) applied for a postal licence from the CCK last year, but it was turned down," they say. "The company is planning to apply again for the same licence soon."

If the new plan succeeds, all customers will have to do to post either local or international letters is buy a corresponding value of new generation stamps from any of the company’s 120 branches, affix them to the letters and post as they would at any post office branch to have it delivered to the destination. Currently, PCK is the only organisation allowed by Kenyan law to offer postal services.