This archive report was first published on 21 April 2020.
As Kenya prepares to launch its 5G network, a wave of conspiracy theories has emerged linking the technology to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Principal Secretary for ICT and Innovation Jerome Ochieng has come out to dismiss these claims, stating that there is no scientific data to support them.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with a KBC reporter, Ochieng revealed that Kenya has begun 5G trials in the 2.6 and 3.5 GHz frequency bands, with plans to deploy the network in the country in the coming weeks.
The 5G network is expected to provide higher speeds and better connectivity, mitigating the concerns of individuals who avoid transacting on their phones due to slow connections. In fact, Kenya is set to attain 100 percent internet connectivity through the Google Loon–Telcom project in the coming weeks.
Once deployed, Kenya will become the fourth African country to launch 5G networks using Huawei’s technology, following South Africa, Egypt, and Uganda.
Despite the backing to revitalize telecommunications on a global scale, theories have emerged claiming that 5G damages the immune system, leaving affected individuals highly exposed to the disease, or that 5G mobile networks are being deployed in high frequency bands of up to 60 GHz, causing ionization of the oxygen molecules in the air.
