Safaricom Gets Nod to Install Subsea Internet Cable in Mombasa as Data Wars Heat Up
- The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) released an impact assessment report on Safaricom's subsea cable project
- The leading telecommunications firm sought to install undersea internet cables in Mombasa in the Exclusive Economic Zone
- NEMA shared the impact and mitigation measures, allowing the telco to carry on with the project
Wycliffe Musalia has over six years of experience in financial, business, technology, climate, and health reporting, providing deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends. He currently works as a business editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Safaricom PLC has received a green light to install undersea cables in Mombasa.
Source: Facebook
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) released the impact assessment report for the proposed project.
The leading telecommunications firm proposed to install a subsea cable within the Kenya Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
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Safaricom sought to branch the unit within the EEZ, separating it into the Southern and Northern branches.
"The Southern branch traverses from the Kenyan EEZ into Tanzanian waters, and the Northern branch traverses into the Kenyan Territorial Sea (TS) with a landing on Nyali beach within Nyali Sub-County, Mombasa County," read NEMA report published on My Government newspaper on Tuesday, August 12.
What impact will Safaricom's subsea cables cause?
According to the environmental regulator, the project is deemed to cause an impact on the environment.
However, with the proper recommended mitigation measures, the telco will continue with the installation of the cables.
Below are the recommendations from NEMA to mitigate the impacts:
| Impact | Mitigation Measures |
| 1. Loss of biodiversity | The Project will implement safety zones from sighted marine turtles or mammals to avoid offshore works during mega-fauna season (if possible), make sure equipment is well maintained, and minimise direct impacts to coral areas at the Mombasa Marine National Reserve (MMNR). |
| 2. Air quality/dust | Project vessels to operate in compliance with MARPOL 73/78 regarding limits on SO2 and NOx emissions, good site practices and regular repair to minimise dust and particulate emissions onshore from excavation spoil pits, minimise mud and debris deposition on local roads, and compliance with NEMA air quality standards. |
| 3. Water pollution | Hazardous waste and debris recovered from the seabed to be stored on vessel, avoid and minimise harmful substances discharges, implement Offshore Waste Management Plan (WMP), and waste management to comply with applicable Kenyan legislation and MARPOL 73/78. |
| 4. Noise pollution | Soundproof barriers, restricted working hours (0800-1700 hrs), use of low-noise machinery and standard vessels. All workers will be provided with PPE (ear protection) and comply with NEMA noise regulations. |
| 5. Tourism and recreation | Plan Project activities to occur concurrently as far as reasonably practicable, always maintain relevant communications and project signage on site during works, notify local community stakeholders in the affected areas recreationally to raise awareness of potential impacts, including noise, dust, worker influx, and equipment blocking the landscape. |
| 6. Occupational Health and Safety | All workers will be provided with PPE (helmets, gloves, masks, and boots), undergo regular health checkups and safety drills, and have access to onsite first-aid stations, fire extinguishers, and emergency response plans. |
| 7. Fisheries | Early engagement with key stakeholders, including Notice to Mariners. Use sea plough and surface lay techniques to minimise impacts to benthic habitats. As-laid information to be provided to the local and relevant Kenyan authorities, avoid sensitive seabed features critical breeding and spawning periods as far as possible, allow fishing activity to occur outside safety buffer zone. |
| 8. Climate risks | Articulated pipes will be used in vulnerable near shore areas, seismic risk assessments used for route optimisation, avoidance of high-risk coastal areas, flexible burial techniques to accommodate seabed shift, setback and elevation of coastal infrastructure, and closely monitor fuel consumption and associated GHG / CO2 emissions as part of initiative to reduce emissions |
| 9. Marine life disturbance/sedimentation | Avoid coral reef zones.Use of divers to guide the process with care. |
| 10. Waste generation | Segregation of waste and disposal/management by a NEMA licensed waste handlers. |
| 11. EMF (exposure health concerns) | Public awareness (electro-magnetic frequency (EMF) from fibre is non-ionising). |
The move to install undersea cables came amid rising competition in the internet market as Safaricom races against the rising satellite service providers.
Safaricom internet market share
Satellite internet provider Starlink provided competition to Safaricom and other local internet providers since its launch in Kenya.
However, recent trends show that Kenyan consumers are gradually abandoning American billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink internet company.
Safaricom continued to gain popularity, registering a rise in market share from 36.1 to 36.5%.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
