Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2005/10/07/kenya_copper/

Telkom Kenya unhappy about disappearing cables

Copper-hungry vandals blamed

By Tim Richardson

Posted in Bootnotes, 7th October 2005 15:07 GMT

Telkom Kenya lost "a colossal" 400m shillings (£3m) last year after vandals nicked a load of copper wire.

Thieves looking to make a few quid have been ripping out the incumbent's copper cables from overhead and undeground lines and it's costing the business a fortune.

The east African telco is so hacked off about its disappearing cable that it's calling on the Government to ban the trading of copper in the hope that this might deter would-be thieves.

"Vandalism will impact negatively on service delivery, and also businesses and individuals are bound to suffer from lack of communication," TK exec Bernard Rubua told the Angola Press.

"We are therefore consulting with the relevant ministries to ensure that our appeal is given priority," he said. ®