A boy holds the Kenyan Seacom cable (file photo): Despite wanting to link its ICT network to Kenya's submarine cables, the country is installing the incorrect fibre optic cables, experts say. (Photo Courtesy Daily Monitor)

Kampala — THE first phase of the national data transmission backbone infrastructure has been completed.

The phase connected 27 ministries and departments to the latest technology.

MPs on the information and communication technology committee yesterday conducted a verification tour and discovered that the five transmission centres at Mukono, Jinja, Kampala, Entebbe and Bombo were working well.

The infrastructure is a broadband network with Internet protocol-based technology.

It also has capacity to handle telecom services and broadcast services across the country.

During the tour, the MPs made video test calls to different government offices that are connected to the fibre optic.

"This is wonderful. We are now moving in the right direction. All the stations are up and working. The ministry has done a recommendable job," said Nathan Igeme Nabeta, the committee chairperson.

Legislators were shown how the network is monitored to ensure that any faults can be noticed and rectified immediately.

The MP's tour followed a report by ICT officials last month that the first phase had been completed.

The $106m (about sh201b) project has been characterised by controversy over irregularities in the procurement of the contractor and inflated product prices.

The MPs noted that the cables, which had been cut, had been fixed.

The cables had been cut in Jinja and Bombo following road repairs done by the works ministry.

A controversy broke out between the roads authority and the ICT ministry over the repair of the cables.

The road authority accused the ICT ministry of laying the cables too close to the surface.

The ICT director of communication and broadcasting, Godfrey Kibuuka, said the project will lower telecommunication costs.

Kibuuka told the legislators that the second phase, which would cost $60m (about sh114b), will involve the extension of the network to the border towns of Malaba, Nimule and Katuna.

It will also involve the laying of 1,543km of optic fibre cables in Busia, Mbarara, Kyenjonjo, Bushenyi, Mbale and Tororo districts.