Marginalised communities in Coast get free television

A section of maginalised communities in Coast region are set to benefit from a programme aimed at increasing access to information launched by government. 

The one year project between the Chinese and Kenya government targets homesteads with little or no access to television or radio. 

Speaking while launching a survey of the programme in Voi, Taita Taveta County, the team leader for Eastern region Mr Justus Kimanga said over 200 county locals are set to benefit. 

Mr Kimanga said they were aiming at connecting over 24 public facilities and 160 homesteads to digital satellite television services. 

“Here in Taita Taveta we are targeting all the four sub counties including Voi, Taveta, Wundanyi and Mwatate,” he said. 

He said the programme will kick off in May in the two counties before it’s spread to other counties in the region.

He said the programme will be completed by June. 

Mr Kimanga said phase two of the project will cover Mombasa, Lamu, Tana River, and Kwale Counties. 

He said the phase two project will be launched in June and expected to be completed by December. 

“We will implement the program in two phase. The first phase will cover these two counties before spreading to the remaining four Coastal counties,” he said. 

The programme director Agustus Munyoki said an enlightened community is an empowered community. 

He said citizens have the right to information which enables them to support nation building. 

“An informed citizen can be able to make informed decision in nation building matters,” he said. 

Beneficiaries of the project will get a solar powered television, a decoder and a satellite dish.