Safaricom to slap State with Sh9bn bill for security network

From left, Lee Kinyanjui, the chairman of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), former Traffic Police Commandant Samuel Kimaru and Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore during the presentation of speed cameras to the Traffic department at Safaricom's offices in Nairobi on November 26, 2013. FILE PHOTO | NATION

What you need to know:

  • The national surveillance, communication and control system links all security agencies, making it easy to share information and direct operations.

Safaricom is set to bill the government Sh9.2 billion for construction of the communication and surveillance system for the National Police Service.

The telco says in its latest annual report that 92 per cent of the work had been completed as of March and that confirmation of the project deliverables had been received from the Inspector General of police.

The payment is to be spread over the next five years, with the amounts set to be booked as revenue.

In a previous interview the firm said the government would use the infrastructure at no cost for the first year as a way of ensuring that the company has provided a working solution.

The government will thereafter start paying for it annually, with Safaricom continuing to offer support through a managed service deal for five years.
“The acceptance process is on-going with billing expected upon receipt of the acceptance certificate from the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of the National Government. Once billed, the payment for this contract is spread over a five-year contractual period,” reads the report.

Links all security agencies

The project involved connecting 195 police stations in Nairobi and Mombasa to high-speed (4G) Internet to ease communication. The first phase of the surveillance system went live in May 2015.

The telco has trained 10,178 officers in maintaining and operating the system over the past one year.

Safaricom has also installed tamper-proof, high definition and ultra-high definition CCTV cameras in Mombasa and Nairobi that are connected to a national command and control room.

The national surveillance, communication and control system links all security agencies, making it easy to share information and direct operations.

Safaricom said the Sh9.2 billion revenue is based on percentage of completion, indicating that it could bill the government to the tune of Sh10 billion once the project is complete.

“The percentage of completion is determined based on work done compared to the estimated costs to completion,” the report reads.
Safaricom also noted in the report that no profit or loss has been recognised as none is deemed at this point.

The system will enable security personnel to monitor areas under surveillance, detect any insecurity incident and help direct police response and monitor the flow of people and traffic especially in town centres.

Additionally, police have been equipped with walkie-talkies with cameras to take pictures at crime scenes for assessment and evidence. The pictures can be sent in real-time to the command and control centre.