In a rather unusual turn of events, a Kenyan lobby group has apparently filed a lawsuit against operator Safaricom, along with regulator the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), and Kenya’s Competition Authority, demanding that they allow satellite operator Starlink access to the Kenyan market.
We reported in late August that Safaricom had apparently written a letter to the Communications Authority of Kenya complaining that Starlink posed a threat to the telecoms market and should be required to partner with local operators rather than compete with them.
However, the lobby group, Kituo cha Sheria, had a different take on the move, suggesting that Safaricom’s allegations were unsubstantiated and that it is in fact apprehensive about the entry of Starlink into the market due to its competitive pricing which appears to undercut Safaricom’s internet service.
Kituo cha Sheria also suggests that that this move would block Kenyans from accessing faster internet speeds and maintain high costs.
Safaricom is said to charge KES6,000 (US$46.52) for its internet service; Starlink offers 50GB of internet for just KES1,800 (about US$14). Of course equipment also needs to be purchased for the Starlink service, although we noted recently that there is now a rental plan in Kenya for Starlink’s equipment.
Kituo Cha Sheria-Legal Advice Centre describes itself as a national non-governmental organisation established in 1973 to empower the poor and marginalised and to enhance equity and access to justice for all.
It is seeking a court declaration that Safaricom’s letter is unconstitutional and wants the court to affirm that internet access is a socio-economic right. The lobby group also requests a permanent injunction preventing the CA from acting against parent company SpaceX or restricting its devices in Kenya.
Further south, Starlink is having fewer problems. The company officially turned on service in Zimbabwe just before midnight, on 6 September 2 just a few days after neighbour Botswana also went live.
ITweb Africa reports that Starlink high-end kit's one-time pricing of US$350 and monthly service fee of US$50 is far less than the charges offered by the country's three main operators.
