Safaricom must admit their failures.


In the life cycle of any company or product, there are four stages ; the introduction stage, the growth stage, the maturity stage and then decline and we now have to accept that Safaricom has served it's purpose.

Over the years we've seen how companies and products killed each other.  Xender killed Bluetooth,USB killed VCD's, iPhone killed Android,Mpesa killed wallets,Gas killed Stove and now Starlink is here to complete the cycle.

 Safaricom has enjoyed its monopoly for a long time! They brought in a lot of good changes in the market including M-Pesa but to some extent the company has become stagnant. Their data bundles are too expensive  The rate of data bundle depletion  is very high. Their network is horrible in rural areas to the extent of being overtaken by Airtel.

 Their monthly 50GB is KES 3000, and the same 50GB is KES 1300 at Starlink.Safaricom offers 25GB for 1300 shilling. Starlink is 20X faster than Safaricom. Safaricom offers 1GB for Ksh 120 while Starlink offers the same package for Ksh 26 . Starlink is a Global network that does not require infrastructure and has no government regulations compared to Safaricom. 

I was shocked when I saw their letter demanding that the government intervenes before Starlink chases them from the market, while their competitor Airtel is quietly strategizing. Many Kenyans have embraced Starlink and I also do.

We are not fighting Safaricom. We are basically demanding better services: a better network, low data rate of depletion, and cheap bundles and good data protection. Yes, Safaricom is providing quality local jobs, but does that give them leeway to exploit consumers? You can't exploit people just because you're the only dominant player in the market. Monopoly is a thing of the past.

When Michael Joseph became the first CEO of Safaricom and tabled the idea of Mpesa , banks, the top banks were furious. They lobbied and finally had a date with the acting finance minister, then Hon. Francis Michuki, alongside the governor of Central Bank of Kenya at the time Njuguna Ndungu. 


Banks made it clear that a communication company venturing into the world of money without being a bank is a big no-no. While banks approached CBK  17 years ago, Safaricom is today approaching communications authority the regulator trying to stop a fellow communication company. 


 Why does Starlink need a local player to set up shop apart from the unnecessary broker role, which is not required at all?

It saddens me greatly that today a firm that benefited from the free market is busy seeking favours that don't exist in law. The Internet is a necessity and no longer a luxury. As a hotelier, we have camps and lodges that struggle with connectivity, and even what we get is hit-and-miss while the cost is insane.

In Kenya, there are numerous small towns and schools that lack connectivity. This means that learners and residents of these smaller towns often miss out on the benefits of full connectivity at decent speeds, simply due to their perceived lack of financial resources.

Starlink doesn't require you, Safaricom, or any other player to act as a go-between. This is precisely why Starlink relies on satellite technology, eliminating the need for intermediaries who would only increase the cost.

Please wear your creative hat with your team and come up with a counter as opposed to seeking to place hurdles in the path of Starlink. 

When Michael Joseph was asked about Mpesa he said he is not targeting the bank's clientele; he was simply targeting what the banks then described as the unbankable. Those are the clients who could not maintain a minimum bank balance of Ksh30,000. Today, Starlink is also serving the unserved and undeserved in the digital world of connectivity. 

Instead of trying to stop a river, how about building a dam for a rainy day? Reach out to Starlink to be their partners in Kenya and use your wide network across Kenya to service them. Banks did not insist that Mpesa service go through them but by default that finally happened purely dictated by market demand and not through government control or dictates. 
Safaricom has no business trying to place obstacles in Starlink's path. Today, Safaricom finds itself in a similar situation to banks, which are attempting to block Mpesa services. Well, what is good for the goose is good for the gander, so please allow Starlink to be.

After ending Safaricom's monopoly, let's attack KPLC NEXT !

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