Chinese government provides 800 villages in Kenya with free solar powered TV sets and satellite decoders in a bid to usher them to information age

800 remote villages in Kenya are set to watch FIFA 2018 World Cup and satellite television programmes for free in a joint initiative between the Kenyan government and Chinese government.

Under the initiative, three solar powered television sets equipped with StarTimes satellite decoders would be installed in each of the 800 villages across the country within the next one month in an effort to help bridge the information gap between those in rural and urban areas.

Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Sammy Itemere says the initiative will help increase knowledge transfer and wealth creation, national cohesion and facilitate the achievement of the government’s big four agenda.

Commercial Chancellor of the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in Kenya Dr. Guo Ce said that the project aims at narrowing the huge information gap by ensuring that the rural community have equal access to digital television content.

StarTimes Media has secured the rights to air the FIFA 2018 World Cup that will be held in Russia between 16th June to 15th July 2018.

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Statistics indicate that one in every six Kenyans especially in rural areas is unable to access digital broadcasting.

In efforts geared to remedy this, the Chinese government through StarTimes has started the 10,000 villages digital television project in Africa.

The television sets would be mounted at public facilities such as schools or youth centers To ensure that most of the targeted people benefit.

The programme also targets to ensure that special interest groups comprising the elderly, persons living with disabilities as well as women benefit.

The project is part of resolutions of the 2015 China-Africa Cooperation summit held in Johannesburg in which Chinese president Xí Jìnpíng pledged to provide satellite TV in 10,000 African villages.