Kenyan Celebrities Switch from Safaricom over Internet Disruptions During Protests

In a recent turn of events, several Kenyan celebrities have decided to cut ties with Safaricom, the leading telecom company in the country. This decision comes after accusations of internet censorship during protests against proposed tax hikes, which resulted in at least 30 deaths. Influencers and artists, including Chef Dennis Ombachi and gospel artist Ben Cyco, have accused Safaricom of deliberately disrupting social media communications while the protests were happening. Safaricom’s CEO, Peter Ndegwa, has since apologized for the network outage, attributing it to technical issues rather than intentional censorship. However, internet observatory body Netblock has found no evidence of cable damage to support Safaricom’s claim. This backlash from celebrities highlights the growing concerns around freedom of speech and censorship in Kenya. With the increasing role of social media in shaping public discourse, the actions of telecom companies like Safaricom are being closely scrutinized. The decision of these celebrities to sever ties with Safaricom sends a strong message about the importance of upholding internet freedom and the role of telecom companies in facilitating open communication. This incident serves as a reminder of the power dynamics at play in the digital age and the responsibility of companies to ensure transparency and accountability in their operations.

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