Former CS Mutahi Kagwe
In 2008, then ICT Minister Mutahi Kagwe played a pivotal role in transforming Kenya’s communication landscape.
While in the UAE, Kagwe called President Mwai Kibaki and persuaded him to write a personal letter to the Emir of Abu Dhabi. This letter set the stage for constructing a 3,645-kilometer fibre optic cable stretching from the Emirates to Mombasa.
Before this groundbreaking development, communication in Kenya was prohibitively expensive. Calls during peak hours cost between Ksh 35-50 per minute, forcing many Kenyans to wait for off-peak hours to connect with friends and family.
Internet access was even more costly, with prices soaring to nearly Ksh 7,000 per megabyte due to the country’s reliance on satellite connectivity.
Transitioning to the global fibre-optic network was essential for affordable, high-speed internet but required the challenging and expensive process of laying undersea cables.
Initially, Kenya partnered with a South African fibre optic cable company, but internal conflicts and high costs made the venture unsustainable. Undeterred, Kagwe pursued an alternative plan.
He enlisted support from his counterparts in Uganda and Tanzania and led a delegation to the United States, Spain, and ultimately the UAE to garner support for the project.
The journey was fraught with challenges. In the UAE, Kagwe’s proposals were rejected by the country’s Foreign and Finance Ministries, which questioned the project’s feasibility. Refusing to give up, Kagwe turned to Kenya’s ambassador to the UAE, who suggested that President Kibaki intervene directly.
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Acting on this advice, Kibaki wrote a letter to the Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Emir responded favorably, instructing his ministries to support the initiative fully.
The fibre optic cable construction began in January 2008 in the Emirates and was completed on June 12, 2009, when the cables arrived in Mombasa. Today, thanks to this bold initiative, Kenya ranks as the 41st cheapest country in the world for internet, with an average cost of USD 1.05 per GB.
ENDS
