In certain corners of the internet, it has become fashionable lately to beat up on Safaricom, Kenya’s leading telecommunications provider. This isn’t surprising. Safaricom has enjoyed a long reign as the dominant force in Kenya’s telecom sector, and such a position naturally invites scrutiny.
But in recent days, the glee with which some online critics have celebrated the entry of Elon Musk’s Starlink into the Kenyan market has revealed that a deeper sentiment is at play; a yearning for liberation from Safaricom’s perceived monopoly.
Safaricom has asked the Communications Authority, Kenya’s regulator, to block satellite internet providers from other countries unless they have agreements with local licensees. Safaricom has good reason to quake in its boots. Starlink’s global coverage means it can provide internet access in remote and rural areas where traditional broadband infrastructure is absent or prohibitively expensive.
For these underserved regions, Starlink can indeed be a lifeline, delivering high-speed internet where it was previously unattainable. The service also boasts low latency thanks to its network of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, which allows for a more responsive internet experience, ideal for video calls, online gaming and other real-time applications.
However, those who see Starlink purely as a liberator from Safaricom are gravely mistaken. They ignore the fact that Starlink is a wholly owned subsidiary of Musk’s SpaceX, a private American aerospace company. Do we really want to hand over our digital sovereignty to a company controlled by a man who has repeatedly demonstrated his disdain for regulatory oversight?
Anyone unfamiliar with Musk’s disregard for the rules should read Walter Isaacson’s 2023 biography of the tech mogul. In it, Isaacson details how Musk’s control over Starlink gave him disproportionate influence over Ukraine during a critical moment in its conflict with Russia. A single civilian, who has a dependent relationship on the drug ketamine according to intrepid reporting by the Wall Street Journal, held sway over a nation’s communication infrastructure. Is this the kind of unchecked power that we want Starlink to exercise in Kenya?
While Starlink offers an exceptional service, its global rollout should prompt Kenya and other countries to be cautious because it comes in the wake of over a decade of American tech giants promising world-changing innovation, only to fall short of those lofty expectations while succeeding in diverting revenue to Silicon Valley.
As Yanis Varoufakis, Greece’s former Finance minister, argues in his book Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism, these companies represent a new kind of digital feudalism that concentrates power in the hands of a few tech overlords like Musk.
However, this should be a wake-up call for Safaricom. The company has enjoyed a near-monopoly for far too long, and it’s clear that people are hungry for alternatives. The company once held an unassailable grip on the nation’s imagination. How did it become such a lightning rod for online fury? That’s a question for the executives in Safaricom’s boardrooms to ponder.
For now, the wolf is at the door. Starlink is just the first of many global players eyeing a piece of Safaricom’s pie. More are coming. If Safaricom wants to maintain its dominant position, it cannot afford to rest on its laurels. Innovation, not protectionism, is the only effective strategy for staying ahead.
It also pays to be on top of your game and to have the people on your side when times are tough. Anybody who has ever built a strong brand will tell you that a key part of marketing is “soulcraft” or winning over the hearts and minds of your target market. Just watch Safaricom's early ads, with their uplifting choirs, and you'll catch a glimpse of this art.
I have used Safaricom’s home internet for a decade, and I am not switching anytime soon. I hope Safaricom gives its legion of loyal customers more reasons to stay beyond brand loyalty. Safaricom has a chance to show it can rise to the challenge, not with tired marketing clichés but with genuine innovation that benefits all Kenyans. The question is, will it?
