The Kenya Defence Forces blocked 202 sub-locations in rural areas from accessing internet citing rampant insecurity in the regions.
Acting Communications Authority Director-General Mercy Wanjau stated that the blocked zones were poised to face an upgrade from the 2G network, which does not support internet services.
However, KDF advised against mounting communication masts in the regions within Garissa, Mandera, Samburu, Marsabit and West Pokot.
Construction works which had commenced in 11 areas were also stopped due to alleged hostility from the communities.
“Contractors have suspended works in the mentioned regions. The KDF has continued to insist that no communications can be mounted in the areas," Wanjau stated while addressing legislators in Parliament.
CA set a target to connect the sub-locations by mid-2022 with Tana River, Wajir, Turkana, Marsabit, Meru, Laikipia and Isiolo regions given top priority.
The authority would also base the connection on the 2019 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Housing and Census statistics, with sub-locations having a population of 1,000 people listed at the top.
Telecommusnications firms contribute a share of their income to a kitty dubbed the Universal Service Fund (USF), which is used to upgrade services.
"This kitty enables us to provide an intervention mechanism for mobile operators in the regions that do not have a connection. This enables mobile voice services to be deployed to the area. However, at times, militia groups destroy masts in these areas to derail government from keeping tabs on communication," CA Communications Director Christopher Wambua added while speaking with Kenyans.co.ke.
Telkom Kenya and Google Loon on Tuesday, July 7 also announced the availability of mobile internet services via the Loon technology to Kenyans, starting July 2020.
The milestone came as the project partners approach the completion of the network integration tests, which have seen them successfully assess service quality across their infrastructure and respective networks.
President Uhuru Kenyatta was one of the first people to use the 4G loon signal when he video called ICT CS Joe Mucheru who was in Radat, Baringo County. Kenyatta was at State House, Nairobi.
