Shame of 2.6 million Kenyans cut out from mobile phone revolution

Ochen Sakita Maiyani of Ilngwesi community in Laikipia County checks his messages on his smart phone after getting network signal. Unfortunately for him, he has to walk five Kilometres from his village to access the mobile network. He wishes the network could be accessible via solar panel like his solar charger that has become handy as their village does not have electricity power. PHOTO.FIDELIS KABUNYI

Today, more than 2.6 million Kenyans do not have access to basic mobile telephony services. This means that services such as mobile money that have empowered ordinary folks and made organisations rethink their business models are unheard of among this lot.   

According to the 2016 Access Gap study by the Communications Authority of Kenya, 5.6 per cent of the about 47 million Kenyans do not have access to basic voice services.