Nairobi, Kenya — Doubts over viability of the $75 Million investment where predecessors have failed miserably The Kenyan Pay TV market last week witnessed the entry of yet another player despite the evident unavailability of the market.

Chinese firm, StarTimes launched in Nairobi Wednesday evening at a ceremony presided over by Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the Chine Ambassador to Kenya.

Two companies providing the same service have collapsed in as many years over unclear circumstances but mostly financial constraints. These include Ugandan owned GTV and Smart TV which went off late last year.

StarTimes Media, the holding company of the digital channel which has a global subscription base of over 7 million viewers in China and Africa, will broadcast on digital platform, with the signal being provided by Pan African Networks.

"The entry of StarTimes into this market is another vote of confidence in Kenya's business and investment environment especially at a time when we have less than six months to the general election. It is a clear indication of China's confidence in the African market," said Raila just hours after returning from a five day visit to the Far East country where he discussed a raft of investment and business opportunities between Kenya and China.

Kenya is working hard towards meeting the 2015 migration deadline from analogue TV signal to digital, and the entry of the Chinese company will be a major boost towards this end. StarTimes launched its operations globally in 1988, and expanded to Africa in 2008, Rwanda being its first project.