The government is moving to establish its own internal communication network to enhance information sharing among public offices while cutting the high costs of airtime.
The initiative, named JamboTel, will allow officers to make calls over the internet, a shift that could save the State billions of shillings and reshape how telecom companies earn from government spending.
According to the National Treasury, the rollout of JamboTel will take place once the government completes its national fibre optic backbone, connecting every State office and institution to reliable internet.
Using voice-over-internet technology, the platform will replace conventional mobile calls, allowing free communication within government departments without incurring airtime expenses.
“The JamboTel secure communication system will be deployed to all government institutions, enhancing coordination and reducing communication costs,” the Treasury stated in its 2026 budget policy plan. Although the precise yearly expenditure on government communications is not publicly shared, estimates suggest it runs into billions of shillings.
Currently, the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications receives at least Sh4 billion annually to coordinate communications across government offices.
In addition, individual ministries, agencies, and corporations maintain their own budgets for communication, though these rarely specify airtime or internal call expenses.
Past assessments have pointed to poor coordination and fragmented communication across State organs, prompting efforts to strengthen internal channels.
The Ministry of ICT has also noted communication gaps as a major concern. Its recent strategy document highlights “weak internal communications mechanisms leading to uncoordinated messaging hierarchy, conflicting messaging, and public engagement.”
To address this, the ministry plans to procure an internal communication tracker portal by June 2028, although details about its operation or functions remain unclear.
Three senior officers at the ICT ministry overseeing infrastructure, systems, and innovation told the Business Daily they were aware of plans to establish a government-wide internal communication system but had not seen any progress so far and were unfamiliar with the JamboTel brand.
Once implemented, JamboTel is expected to streamline government operations, reduce communication costs, and strengthen information flow.
At the same time, it could reduce voice revenue for telecom providers like Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom, and Faiba, as the State is one of the largest spenders on communication in the economy. This trend of governments adopting internal digital networks is already visible globally.
India, for example, introduced Sandes last year, a secure instant messaging system serving as a government-owned alternative to commercial platforms. Nigeria and Ireland have also launched similar systems.
In Kenya, the JamboTel rollout relies on expanding last-mile fibre connections to public institutions.
The government aims to reach 100,000 kilometres of fibre by the end of next year. So far, 80,633 kilometres of fibre have been laid, connecting at least 82 hospitals and 1,114 public schools to the internet.
