Bring order to fibre internet connections

As Kenya races toward a fully connected future, we risk creating a dangerous and unsightly problem through poorly planned infrastructure. The current heavy rains, which have exposed weaknesses in our urban systems, offer a warning of what happens when development outpaces planning.

Across urban centres and rapidly growing towns, fibre optic cables hang loosely, poles are erected without order, and sidewalks are slowly turning into obstacle courses. If we are not careful, Kenya may soon resemble parts of India where internet cables dangle overhead in tangled webs, posing risks to pedestrians, motorists and even emergency services.

Affordable and fast connectivity is essential for education, business, government services and innovation. The danger lies in the unregulated scramble by internet service providers to capture market share, often installing infrastructure with little regard for safety, urban planning or aesthetics. Poles appear overnight, cables are draped across roads, and no authority seems to be in charge.

In residential estates, fibre cables are increasingly fixed to trees, fences and temporary wooden posts. During heavy rains or strong winds, these lines snap and fall, creating hazards for schoolchildren, boda boda riders and pedestrians. In some cases, live electrical lines share the same space with fibre cables, increasing the risk of accidents.

Urban planners and county governments appear either overwhelmed or sidelined. Wayleave approvals, where they exist, are poorly enforced. Different companies dig the same roads repeatedly, install parallel poles and leave trenches poorly restored. The result is visual pollution, weakened road surfaces and rising frustration among residents who see their neighbourhoods disfigured.

The national government must assert leadership by setting clear and enforceable standards for fibre deployment. Shared ducts, coordinated trenching, and the mandatory use of existing poles where possible should be policy. For county governments, urban development approvals must integrate digital infrastructure planning.

Digital progress does not have to be ugly or unsafe. With foresight, proper regulation and cooperation, Kenya can build a modern internet backbone that is efficient, secure and visually organised.

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Baraka Mumo Kilonzo, Makueni