Whereas Television is regarded as a galaxy of information, laughter, and joy, for the residents of Malaba and the surrounding areas, it has become costly to enjoy this due to poor signals that stretch across the larger Teso region.
Without a satellite dish in Malaba and the entire Teso North constituency, including most parts of Teso South, it would be pointless for one to own a television set as it will be reduced to a toy.
A survey conducted by KNA revealed that over 85% of homesteads in the area that own a TV set have a satellite dish, not as an option but as a must if one wants to unlock the magic of entertainment. While the remaining 15% have an aerial, though with poor signal connectivity.
Over 95% of homesteads in Malaba are connected to their channel of choice through satellite dishes, including DSTV, Startime, and Zuku, even those in grass-thatched houses.
An exclusive interview with some residents from Changara and Malaba towns is evidence that watching TV is costly, as one must incur the cost of paying a monthly or yearly subscription even to local channels.
Moses Emejong, a resident of Malaba, narrates how he is forced to close the TV or watch DJ Afro movies whenever he lacks cash to subscribe.
“Despite owning a TV most of the time, I am forced to watch DJ Afro just for entertainment and ensure my television is active,” said Emojong.
Another major challenge faced here is the interference by Ugandan signals, where one is left with the option of only watching TV channels from Uganda.
“Our neighbour Uganda has good signals at the border, and most of the time we are forced to watch their TV channels. They have built a strong communication network here at the border that interferes with our waves,” he added.
According to Kelvin Gitau, an established electronic dealer at Malaba, in most cases, poor TV reception is a result of the frequency compatibility and broadcast location. In order to improve your reception on a TV antenna, your aerial must be capable of receiving digital frequencies at sufficient strength.
Gitau challenges residents to seek advice on the signal strength before buying the satellite dish or aerial of their choice.
“Some companies’ networks can’t be felt completely here in Malaba and surrounding areas; therefore, one must seek advice from experts before buying decoders to avoid paying for what won’t work,” noted Gitau.
However, with the presence of smart phones and the internet, residents are resorting to watching their channel of choice via YouTube, though this is limited based on digital literacy.
Maxwell Ekiring has urged Cabinet Secretary of Information Eliud Owalo to prioritise towns in Teso North and South in the creation of public Wi-Fi to enable most youths to carry out their activities without interference.
“I urge the CS Owalo to give Teso North and South Sub Counties first priority on connectivity of public Wi-Fi; Malaba town is the busiest town with clearing and forwarding activities 24/7; also, the presence of over 5 tertiary colleges and Alupe University should be a factor to consider,” said Ekiring.
The residents here are now appealing to the Communication Authority of Kenya and private investors to invest in the border town to enable them to get entertainment.
By Absalom Namwalo
