Liquid Telecom is installing a US$2 million fibre optic network in Kenya’s Siaya county, the first its kind in rural Kenya, to open the area’s underserved to internet access.
The project is part of a wider plan by the firm to invest US$50 million in partnerships with counties in the next 24 months to roll out data connectivity projects that will see more counties benefit from projects similar to that in Siaya County.
The internet will link the county headquarters with sub-counties and wards through the Wide Area Network (WAN) concept that will connect back to the central government. This will allow internet users in the county reliable and affordable access to local and global websites.
“Rural Internet connectivity is rather poor in Kenya due to lack of infrastructure. What LTK primarily seeks to achieve in the partnership with the Siaya county government is open up the county to new business opportunities and improve government functionality,” said Nic Rudnick, Liquid Telecom Group chief executive officer (CEO).
“There are vast human and capital resources lying idle in Siaya. Connecting the county to the rest of Kenya and the world will in turn enable businesses and the county government register increased productivity at reduced costs.”
With the installation process, 50 staff will be employed with further roles being created to handle maintenance of fibre optics and wireless networks in the county.
