- Kituo through advocate Marc Chirchir has taken issue with a letter dated July 5 from Safaricom addressed to CA.
Image: The Star
The high court will today issue directions in a case in which Kituo Cha Sheria sued Safaricom after they lobbied the communications authority to block foreign service internet providers, including Starlink.
Kituo through advocate Marc Chirchir has taken issue with a letter dated July 5 from Safaricom addressed to CA.
In the letter, Safaricom is asking the government to assess the risks of granting licenses to satellite service providers and the consequent harm it may cause to Kenya.
"We would propose that the CA consider, instead, mandating that such satellite service providers only carry out their operations in Kenya subject to such providers entering into an agreement with an existing local licensee," it further states.
Kituo is seeking to have the court issue orders stopping CA from taking any action based on that letter.
It argued that the entry by Starlink into the market caused market shocks causing concerns for already established players in the internet service providers industry, who realised that Starlink’s monthly charges while favourable to the consumer were damaging to their own traditional business models that utilise terrestrial networks.
"For context, the cheapest bundle offered by Starlink of 50 Gigabytes cost Kenya Shillings One Thousand Three Hundred (Sh1,300)," Chirchir says.
He explains that the cost is a fraction in comparison with the largest Internet Service Provider in the region Safaricom which charges Kenya Shillings Six Thousand Hundred (Sh6,000) for a similar bundle of the same amount.
"The difference between the two is roughly Seventy-Eight percent (78 per cent) difference in cost with Safaricom price being higher," he adds.
Last month, Safaricom refuted claims that it has canceled the payment of Starlink Internet.
Starlink was introduced into the Kenyan market in July 2023. It offers high speed and coverage to remote areas where local internet service providers may not reach.
Starlink, powered by SpaceX, uses a network of satellites in low Earth orbit to deliver high-speed internet with low latency, making it ideal for rural and underserved regions.
The competition between Starlink and local ISPs increased following the recent discounted offers in Kenya.
"Starlink now offers Starlink kit rentals throughout Kenya. Rent Starlink for Sh1,950/month or purchase for Sh45,500," the company announced in a statement.