| The .KE country code top level domain is administered by the Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) with only accredited Registrars being allowed to register .KE domain names for and on behalf of clients. Currently only Kenyans or Kenyan entities can be accredited as .KE registrars meaning any foreign Registrar can only handle domain name registrations through a duly accredited Kenyan company.
There are six available third level domains available for registration on the .KE domain space, the same being:
1. .CO.KE
This third level domain is for the registration of domain names by companies.
2. .OR.KE
This third level domain is for registration of domain names by Not-for-Profit-Making Organisations or NGOs.
3. .NE.KE
This third level domain is for registration of domain names for/by Network Devices.
4. .GO.KE
This third level domain is for registration of domain names by government bodies. Supporting documentation is needed for registration in this sub domain.
5. .AC.KE
This third level domain is for registration o f domain names by institutions of Higher Learning/Education. Supporting documentation is needed for registration in this sub domain.
6. .SC.KE
This third level domain is for registration of domain names by Lower and Middle institutions of Learning/Education. Supporting documentation is needed for registration in this sub domain.
It should be noted that apart from registration in the .go.ke, .ac.ke and .sc.ke third level domains, no supporting evidence is required by KENIC before a domain name is registered and registration of all .KE domain names are on a first come first served basis.
The minimum period available for registration of a .KE domain name is one (1) year with a possibility of registration for ten (10) years.
The ease of registration of .KE domain name with no supporting documentation being needed for registration in the .co.ke, .ne.ke and .or.ke third levels has led to a relatively high number of registration of .KE domain names which as of the 19th December, 2008 was 10 000.00.
With the number of internet users in Kenya highly expected to increase due to the first fibre optic finally connecting Kenya to the global community and more fibre optic links expected, the number of domain names registration is only bound to improve.
Needless to say, the scope of both mala fides and bona fides domain names registration of one’s trade mark is quite high with several ‘global’ brands already being registered by third parties. Thus where a trade mark propreitor would not have registered a domain name before such a registration by a third party, the domain name recovery cost can be substantially high.
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