For many Kenyans, mobile connectivity is an indispensable part of daily life.
But in the remote expanses of northern Kenya, the simple act of making a phone call or accessing mobile money has long required extraordinary effort—long walks in search of a signal or climbing hills to catch a faint network bar.
The landscape is now shifting. Expanded telecom coverage, largely powered by the Universal Service Fund (USF), is beginning to ease long-standing isolation in counties such as Marsabit, Turkana, Baringo, and West Pokot. The initiative is redefining how residents interact with government services, conduct business and safeguard their communities.
Historically, low population density and vast, rugged terrain meant these regions offered little commercial incentive for operators to install costly infrastructure. Yet as the economy becomes more digital and government services increasingly move online, ensuring universal access has become both a policy priority and a national obligation.
Established in 2009 and fully operational from 2013, the USF pools contributions from mobile operators—equivalent to 0.5 per cent of their gross annual turnover—alongside government funding and support from development partners. Managed by the Communications Authority of Kenya, the fund seeks to guarantee that underserved areas are not left behind as the country accelerates its digital transformation.
Officials say the impacts are already evident. New sites under the completed first two phases of the programme have opened channels of communication that were previously unavailable. “People in these communities can now access services that are essential not only for communication but also for security and local administration,” says Julius Lenaseiyan from the Authority’s Central and Eastern Regional Office.
Safaricom, a major contributor and executor of several USF projects, notes that inclusion remains central to its network expansion strategy. Ian Siako, Senior Officer, Technical Regulations at the company, says the goal is to ensure “every Kenyan—regardless of where they live—can make calls and access the internet.”
With Phases 1 and 2 now complete, the programme is set to deepen its reach across the frontier.
For many households in northern Kenya, the ability to connect to the wider world is no longer an irregular privilege but an emerging norm—ushering in a new era of opportunity, security and participation.
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