So who is brighter? ‘Smart Kigali’ or ‘Loony Google’

By Marc Nkwame

While both Kenya and Tanzania are somehow ‘contemplating’ own ideas of ‘smart cities,’ Rwanda actually has one; the country is reportedly converting its capital city into one huge ‘hot spot,’ in which people could access the Worldwide Web via free wireless internet.

At least, the so-called 'Smart Kigali' project will apply in public places like Taxi parks, major hospitals, restaurants, hotels and commercial buildings in Kigali will be covered and authorities have gone a little bit more ambitious by including the service inside selected large buses so that people can surf while traveling.

For years the Kenyan capital of Nairobi topped the surfing bill as far as the highest number of internet users in East Africa are concerned, Tanzania’s Safari City of Arusha came second, but if the ‘Smart Kigali,’ plans sail as intended, Rwanda will overtake the two onto the top regional hotspot.

Coincidentally, Kenya had been planning a special ICT satellite city to be known as Konza in the outskirts of Nairobi, while Tanzania through the Nelson Mandela African Instituteof Science and Technology has a blueprint of ‘silicon valley’ type of city to be established in Karangai area of Tengeru, in Meru, one of the seven districts making up Arusha region.

Rwanda on the other hand intends to use telecom companies such as Tigo and Airtel to make the ‘Smart Kigali’ dream true; it is still not known how the majority of the country’s citizens will be able to benefit from free internet if required equipment such as computers, tablets and smartphone will remain out of reach for many.

There is also the case of Google ‘Loon project’ in which the California based tech giant intends to float balloons that will provide access to the areas previously ‘unconnected’ to the web with cloud internet services focused for developing nations precisely Africa.

Now if Google chooses to beam free internet to whole continent, chances are the giant serach-engine based tech firm offering will be more reliable than the usually fluctuating telcom ones that Rwanda intends to deploy. And who will need Airtel-Tigo GPRS-Edge when something stronger is in the air?

Google maybe over-blowing the balloon idea but should it float, maybe Rwanda's ‘Smart Kigali’ won’t be that smart after all  and once more Nairobi and Arusha will have the last laugh.