Dear Listers,
As notified last week, we are conducting an assessment on the state of play and impact of
broadband in Kenya, broadly looking at the socio-economic impact on
consumers, businesses and various sectors like agriculture, education,
healthcare, finance and government.
We are looking at real life
examples of impact of broadband, challenges we face in increasing impact
of broadband and recommendations on interventions needed to address the
challenges identified.
For this discussion, we define broadband as any fast internet. Fast enough to serve your intended purpose. We can have an extended definition through the discussion.
Some of the questions we should answer are:
- What is the current state of broadband in Kenya? What is the current coverage of broadband in Kenya? Do you have broadband internet in your area? How affordable is the available broadband?
In my humble opinion we have what i would term as organized chaos in the sector. When i am walking in the streets of Nairobi and a couple of Estates within 20 Kilometres radius of the City, i enjoy some form of broad band the moment i go beyond this barrier the status on my gadgets changes to broadband left.
Broadband is not cheap 300 MB is equivalent to two loaves of bread or two packets of milk. I have to choose between what i should tradeoff which is not good :-(.
While we have experienced some benefits with the little broadband that we get, new vices have also come up. As someone who deals with Youth in Social circles, we have many young people struggling with Porn and other vices that they have picked as a result of using broadband without guidance. Other young people have become career movie watchers taking laziness to another paradigm. The real sectors that would benefit from broadband such as kiosks, schools, the agriculture sector and even the government are really underserved. On Saturday i was seeking services from my local Chiefs office and she had to shuttle between two offices 5 Kilometres apart to look for two sets of documents which she needed to provide a service. There was no Internet connection or ICT devices in any of the offices. As a practising subsistence farmer, i have to drive 50 Kilometres to look for Agronomists since it is a real headache to balance between using my solar power to try and google with unreliable broadband or just get the agronomist and pay him USD 50 for a day with him at the farm. In healthcare , there is almost zero impact from where i stand especially in rural areas that would benefit from specialists.
We need a standard definition of broadband as a country. We also need serious quality control on the service being offered by ISPs. Communication Authority should up its game. For example last week i was busy googling in a lift only to discover that my 300 MB had mysteriously disappeared and i was using my airtime. The next day while typing a complaint my 300 mb was restored as recovered bundles (whatever that means) and i was given a time frame to use the same. This is thuggery to say the least as it compares to someone snatching my hard earned loaf of bread or two packets of milk and should be condemned by the Communications Authority.
- What barriers are there in increasing impact of broadband in Kenya?
The major barrier is the legal and regulatory framework. I also think we lack leadership. We have people charged with utilizing the Universal Access Fund to ensure that the benefits of broadband reach every corner of this country. They have let us down as a nation. We need to build the Capacity of County Governments in appreciating the Socio-Economic Impact of Broadband. From recent visits to various counties, i can say without batting an eyelid that broadband is not a priority and is the least concern in the counties. However there is an opportunity to make broadband part and parcel of Infrastructural Investments which currently focus on roads and water.
- What recommendations can counter the barriers identified in increasing impact of broadband?
1) We need a definition of what broadband is and ensure that the same is availed to citizens at an affordable rate. For example when i buy a packet of milk there are no stories of contention etc, 1 litre is l litre. Likewise 1 MB should be 1 MB. We need legal and regulatory frameworks to protect consumers.
2) We need proper leadership in so far as utilization of the Universal Access Fund is concerned. The USAC board should be apolitical. We need people that have demonstrated passion, knowledge and knowhow to champion broadband to all sectors of this great republic.
3) We need political will. County Governments have to make broadband a top priority since they have been one of the greatest impediments to penetration of broadband. They need to be told as it is that they are dragging our country behind. For example why should they charge unreasonable levies for way leaves yet it is their sons and daughters and consitituents wo are benefiting from from the job opportunities provided through laying and utilization of the broadband. We need to find a way of ensuring this message gets home very clearly.
Best Regards
Looking forward to a grrat debate.
Mwendwa Kivuva
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