Kenya aims for own internet cable

Kenya has said it will seek funding to finance its own undersea internet cable after an African joint venture was delayed by disagreements.

The fibre optic cable, expected to cost $110m, would run from Mombasa to Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman.

The president's office said the cable would also serve other countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa.

Officials said Kenya was keen to market itself as a centre for business outsourcing, as India has done.

Correspondents say the project is expected to cut internet costs and boost investment in Africa.

The announcement comes weeks after Kenya refused to sign up to a 23-nation plan to build an undersea telecommunications cable, East African Submarine Cable System (Eassy), after disagreeing with South Africa about the cost and management of the project.

"The cable network that will connect East Africa to the rest of the world will also serve Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Somalia," said the statement, which gave no timetable for the project

Eassy was originally expected to be operational at the beginning of 2008.