NAIROBI, Kenya — The government plans to roll out a secure internal communication system, dubbed JamboTel, to link all State institutions in a move aimed at improving coordination and significantly reducing public sector communication costs.
According to the National Treasury’s draft 2026 Budget Policy Statement (BPS), JamboTel will provide a unified platform for government offices to communicate securely, replacing fragmented and costly arrangements currently spread across multiple agencies.
“The JamboTel secure communication system will be deployed to all government institutions, enhancing coordination and reducing communication costs,” the Treasury said.
Although the exact cost of internal government communication is not publicly disclosed, Treasury estimates indicate spending runs into billions of shillings annually.
The State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications alone receives at least Sh4 billion each year, while individual ministries, departments, and agencies maintain separate communication budgets.
The proposed platform follows an internal review by the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, which identified weak internal communication as a major governance challenge.
“Weak internal communications mechanisms have led to uncoordinated messaging hierarchies, conflicting communication, and ineffective public engagement,” the ministry noted in policy documents cited by Treasury.
In addition to JamboTel, the government plans to introduce an internal communication tracker portal by June 2028, though details on its functions and oversight framework remain unclear.
While Treasury projects long-term savings and improved efficiency, the shift may reduce revenue for major telecommunications firms — including Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom, and Faiba — as the State remains one of the largest consumers of telecom services.
Kenya would join countries such as India, Nigeria, and Ireland, which have adopted secure, centralised government communication systems to replace siloed analogue platforms.
However, analysts caution that transparency around procurement, cybersecurity safeguards and data protection frameworks will be critical to maintaining public trust.
The success of JamboTel hinges on completing last-mile fibre connectivity across government institutions.
Treasury says the government aims to expand the national fibre network to 100,000 kilometres by the end of 2026, up from 80,633 kilometres currently installed.
Under the National Optic Fibre Backbone Infrastructure (NOFBI) programme, 7,152 kilometres of fibre now connect 82 hospitals and 1,114 public institutions to high-speed internet.
Treasury plans to install an additional 37,645 kilometres of backbone fibre to extend connectivity to underserved rural and remote areas.
Once complete, 18,680 public institutions will be connected, alongside the deployment of 27,516 public Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide.
Human capital development forms a key pillar of the digital strategy. The government plans to train one million youth in software development, digital marketing, and online freelancing.
To support this effort, 100 digital hubs equipped with computers and high-speed internet will be established to help young people and entrepreneurs build technology-driven businesses.
Treasury also reiterated plans to fully automate public service delivery, enabling citizens to access all government services digitally.
Safeguarding the digital ecosystem will involve completing the National Cybersecurity Agency, the National Security Operations Centre, and seven Sectoral Security Operations Centres.
Public data controllers and processors will be registered, while nationwide data protection awareness campaigns will be rolled out to promote responsible digital practices.
Since 2022, Kenya has accelerated digital infrastructure expansion. By 2025, an additional 24,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable had been installed, bringing the total to 80,633 kilometres, split between 30,454 kilometres of public sector fibre and 50,179 kilometres of private networks.
Digital access has expanded through 404 digital hubs, 21,372 training devices, and 1,578 JiConnect public Wi-Fi hotspots in markets, town centres, and transport hubs.
Mobile subscriptions have surpassed 60 million, pushing internet penetration above 90 per cent.
Meanwhile, more than 17,668 government services from over 350 agencies are now available on the e-Citizen platform, with monthly collections rising from Sh1.45 billion in 2022 to Sh8.2 billion in 2025.
Treasury maintains that digital connectivity and literacy are now core national infrastructure, comparable to roads, water and electricity — essential for education, healthcare, financial inclusion, market access and public service delivery.
