The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has announced the allocation of Ksh 1.6 billion meant to cater for the development of mobile telephone towers in a number of arid areas.
The investment has been set aside in the 2020/2021 financial year which will see mobile towers raised in 101 marginalized sub-locations.
Over 270,000 residents, in arid areas of the country, are set to benefit from the program. Through the construction of the towers, residents in these marginalized areas will be able to access what Kenyans in urban areas see as part of their basic services. These include access to internet connections and mobile money.
The cell towers will be able to serve the targeted sub-locations with mobile broadband, voice, SMS, and other communication services via the third Generation (3G) network or higher.
Residents expected to benefit from the investment include those located in marginalized sub-locations in West Pokot and Kitui. In total, the CA will set up mobile cell towers in arid areas across 14 counties.
According to an advertised tender bid from the authority closed last Wednesday, CA was seeking contractors that can help construct base transmission stations.
Successful bidders in the second phase of the project will help “construct facilities and facilitate extension of network coverage to the specified sub locations,” says the Authority via Business Daily.
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