The Chinese Government has handed over the 800 digital television project to Kenya government being part of the 10,000 Villages Digital Television Project in Africa.
The project that was launched in June 2018 has been running across the 47 Counties through the installation of satellite television services in public institutions and select individual households.
Twenty households in each of the 800 villages were installed with Satellite television service composed of a satellite dish, a high definition set-top box and accessories while three public institutions in each village received two solar-powered satellite projector TV systems and one 32 inch television set.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, ICT Cabinet Secretary Mr Joe Mucheru said the equipment will transform Africa villages and especially Kenya.
“Am happy to note that the 10,000 village’s project has not only absorbed 1,600 of our youth to work as maintenance personnel but also has been implemented through satellite television technology thereby reaching every corner of our country with a balanced mix of both local and international channels.”
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya H.E Wu Peng said that “The 10,000 digital television project has gone a long way towards driving access to information and especially in the rural areas which have played a significant role in China-Africa people-to-people exchange, thereby enhancing the level of China-Africa cooperation.”
StarTimes Kenya Chief Executive Officer Mr Andy Wang said that “We applaud the Government of China for conceptualizing this initiative key in growing access to digital television in the wake of the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting and the Kenyan Government for warmly welcoming this investment and according to relevant support key in empowering our communities through television.”