Kampala — The New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) has organised a meeting to find a solution to the looming crisis caused by Kenya, which plans to break away from the EASSy project, an official of Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has said.

"NEPAD has organised two meetings of policy makers and ministers early next month to avert the break-away of Kenya from the East African Submarine System (EASSy) project," the commission's technical manager, Eng. Patrick Mwesigwa, said.

Kenya's Daily Nation of May 18 said the sh4.2b undersea cable system connecting Kenya to Djibouti would begin next month, a project that would connect Kenya to Europe, Asia and Africa.

"If players in the EASSy project do not announce a commencement date by the end of next week, Kenya will make public plans to construct a parallel line," the Daily Nation said.

"Government has not changed its decision to construct a parallel line to rival the system envisaged by the EASSy project connecting Mtunzini, north of Durban in South Africa, to Port Sudan in Sudan, a distance of about 9,900kms," the paper reported.

"The project will be financed by the private sector. Government won't use a single cent," information and communication permanent secretary, Dr. Bitange Ndemo told an ICT conference at Kenyatta International Conference Centre.