Kenya banks on underground power network to end interruptions
In a bid to end frequent power cuts, utility firm Kenya Power is in the process of implementing a Sh13bn underground power network project in Nairobi. The cabling project is expected to reinforce the Nairobi City Centre bulk power supply system by providing alternative supply to the existing substations.
E-commerce gains traction in rural Kenya
Kenya's rural population is increasingly taking to the internet and aggressively placing orders online catching up with their urban counterparts, an internal survey by Jumia Kenya has revealed.
According to the survey, which was revealed by the company, of the over 3,000,000 web visits sampled, urban traffic to the Jumia site stood at 77% in 2014 with rural traffic at 23% while urban deliveries accounted for 61% and rural 39%. In 2015, urban traffic maintained lead at 60% as rural traffic recorded a 17% rise to stand at 40%. Urban deliveries receded by 6% to 55% compared to 61% the previous year with rural deliveries climbing to 45%.
Airtel Kenya plans 4G launch by year-end
Airtel Kenya, the local unit of Indian telecoms group Bharti Airtel, is aiming to launch 4G LTE services by the end of the year, to enable it to better compete in the high speed mobile data market, reports Capital FM. ‘Data is very essential in our industry and we are investing heavily to ensure that our capabilities in data and internet are substantially improved,’ the cellco’s CEO Adil El Youssefi was quoted as saying, adding: ‘We are working closely with the stakeholders, regulators and the government to ensure that we [launch] the 4G network as soon as possible, hopefully this year, to Kenya.’ Youssefi also revealed that the coverage of Airtel’s 3G network, which was launched in February 2012, has been increased to 75% of the population.
Kenya: Cisco & Seacom unveil start-up hub in Mombasa
Cisco Systems, Seacom, and the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) have partnered to create a technology hub in Mombasa. The hub, which has been named SwahiliPOT, has been created to target software developers from universities based in the coastal town.
The report reveals that MNK has donated office space, while SEACOM is preparing to provide 40 MB of its high-speed Internet service for free. Cisco, according to the report, is providing computing hardware. Despite being a landing station for undersea fibre optic cables from Seacom, TEAMs, Eassy and Lion, Mombasa town has no start-up technology hub.
