The National Treasury has allocated Ksh202 million to Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) towards the installation of solar panels.
This was captured in the expenditure summary for the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunication for the 2024/25 financial year as well as projected expenditure estimates for 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years.
Installation of the solar panels was part of Ksh651 million allocated to the State Department to revamp KBC as well as other semi-autonomous institutions within the department.
This is an increase from Ksh526 million that had been allocated to the State Department in the current financial year.
According to the 2024/25 estimates, KBC will receive Ksh82 million which will go towards the installation of solar power systems at various KBC stations.
Treasury projects that Ksh120 million will be used in the 2025/26 financial year to complete the project.
Apart from installing solar panels, KBC has also been allocated Ksh55 million for analogue to digital migration.
Additionally, Ksh41 million will be used in the next financial year to roll out the KBC studio Mashinani project.
This amount will be increased to Ksh50 million in 2025/26 with a final allocation of Ksh225 million in the 2026/27 financial year.
President William Ruto’s administration has further allocated Ksh82 million to go towards the modernisation of the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication film.
KIMC will further receive Ksh123 million for its Eldoret campus.
Modernisation of the Kenya News Agency (KNA) National Desk and Press Centre is going to cost the taxpayer Ksh147 in the next budget.
The rest of the Ksh651 million kitty will be used to fund Medium Wave to FM Broadcast Migration, Kenya Year Book editorial board offices and services automation as well as the roll-out of modern outside broadcasting.
