High Speed Internet latest

The under sea fibre optic cable will be connected to Kenya's terrestrial network by August 25, 2009.

The Director of Information Mr. Ezekiel Mutua said Kenya was the only country with a long coastline without fibre optic cables and expressed hope that the connection would decongest Internet broadbands and enhance development.

Mutua said the department of information would be fully involved in the creation of digital villages, which will soon be piloted in 40 constituencies.

Speaking at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) during the official closing of a five day course on camera operations for photo journalists, photographic officers and information officers, Mutua said the Kenya News Agency would be revamped to cope with modern technology.

He said the department, in conjunction with the World Bank will in the next three weeks begin forming 24 information resource centres country-wide, to be fully equipped with digital news gathering equipment.

"Our greatest challenge was lack of equipment and personnel with knowledge in modern technology, but we are soon beating this," he said.

Mr Mutua said KNA would soon start transmitting news through the Internet as opposed to the current trend where news gathering tapes have to be sent to Nairobi by air or road making news 'stale'.

"Many media houses want KNA stories, but since we do not have the modern technology to transmit news fast enough, we have been looked down for too long. We want to change this scenario," he said.

He asked journalists under the department to be more innovative in their news coverage so that media houses go for stories from the agency.

"We want to project KNA as a development conscious media house," he said. "We cannot compete with other media houses if we look for the same news angles as their reporters in the field."