27 November 2023

Safaricom has approached the government for help in classifying telecommunications equipment as critical infrastructure amidst an uptick in vandalism. CEO Peter Ndegwa said that the sector has collectively invested in modern infrastructure that is prevalent across the country.

Vandalism to fibre cables has been one of the primary reasons of frequent internet and telephony disruptions in some locations around the country.

‘’We seek your help in categorising telecommunications infrastructure as vital infrastructure to support your government’s aim of building 10,000km of fibre optic cable across the country,’’ said Ndegwa. ‘’This will allow for further investment to speed up the roll-out of fibre cable across the country.”

The proposal comes at a time when Kenya’s Information, Communications, and Digital Economy Minister Eliud Owalo is pressing for the passage of a critical infrastructure bill to protect the country’s ICT systems and networks. The bill, which has been in the works since 2015, aims to defend critical infrastructure from threats like terrorism, espionage, and sabotage. It recommends severe penalties and prison sentences of up to ten years for anybody caught destroying essential infrastructure. Power lines, fibre optic cables, highways, and data centres are all part of this infrastructure.