When a multi-stakeholder forum,mostly dominated by higher education institutions,converged to brainstorm on how to connect their institutions to Internet in 1999 they all read from the same script:Institutions of higher learning should have access to affordable Internet at reasonable speed.

It was against this background that the Kenya Education Network(KENET)was created in 1999 as a membership institution for educational and research institutions. It was constituted as a trust whose beneficiaries included students,faculty members,and staff in member institutions.

It is however imperative to note that prior to the forum the Kenya government received an initial grant of US$ 300,000 from the US government through the Leland Initiative. The Kenya government decided that the grant be used to provide Internet access to Educational Institutions.

Currently,KENET, has eight trustees:three vice chancellors of public universities,two vice chancellors of private universities,the permanent secretary ministry of education , the chief executive officer of Telkom Kenya Limited and Communication commission of Kenya(CCK).

KENET has continued to provide cost-effective Internet connectivity to its member institutions. It provides Internet services to 56 member institutions in Kenya representing a student population of about 100,000 , over 5000 faculty members and staff members.