The National Assembly’s ICT Committee questioned the Communications Authority (CA) on measures taken to protect consumers from data bundle expiries and internet service disruptions by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like Safaricom, Airtel, and Telkom.
The Committee chaired by Dagorreti South MP John Kiarie, criticized the lack of compensation for unused bundles and the absence of a clear system for addressing consumer complaints.
Kisii County Woman Representative Doris Donya asked the Authority to explain why customers should pay or bundles that they end up not using.
Donya said the bundles should work like other services that cannot expire before customers use them.
“Why do we pay for bundles that expire before we use them? If bundles worked like other utilities, consumers wouldn’t be losing their money,” Donya said.
Tetu MP Geoffrey Wandeto went further, calling short-term data packages “a fraud,” adding that it was unrealistic for anyone to consume 20GB of data bundles within an hour of purchase.
Kiarie echoed this sentiment stating that Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom should implement no-expiry policies like in other countries.
The Chairperson stated that ISPs should provide internet services without challenges just like radio stations airing their programmes.
“If radio stations can air quality of service issues, why aren’t ISPs doing the same for internet service? Other countries have implemented no-expiry policies, and we need similar protections here,” demanded Kiarie.
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CA Response
Responding to the questions, the CA Director-General David Mugonyi, noted that while they have penalized providers in the past, there’s a gap in the current law regarding mandatory compensation for consumers.
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Mugonyi elaborated that the CA has initiated a campaign to educate the public on how to lodge complaints.
The Committee directed the CA to establish stronger oversight mechanisms to ensure ISPs prioritize customer service and provide fair compensation during service outages.
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Communications Authority Roles
CA is the regulatory authority for the communications sector in Kenya.
The Authority is responsible for facilitating the development of the information and communications sectors including broadcasting, cybersecurity, multimedia, telecommunications, electronic commerce, postal and courier services.
It was established in 1999 by the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998.
CA is charged with the responsibility of protecting and safeguarding the interests of consumers in relation to the provision of ICT services and equipment.
The Authority, among other mechanisms, seeks to ensure that communication service providers adhere to the Kenya Constitution, 2010 (Section 46 and 47).
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