This archive report was first published on 4 September 2019.
Published on September 4, 2019, Telkom Kenya's Chief Executive Officer Mugo Kibati has accused Safaricom of trying to derail the company's merger with Airtel.
The merger, which aims to create a more competitive telecommunications market, has been met with resistance from Safaricom, Kenya's largest mobile network operator.
According to Kibati, Safaricom has requested the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) to stop the merger process, citing concerns over stiff competition from the combined entity.
"It is unfortunate that Safaricom now wants to delay this process that seeks to provide customers with more credible options. Does the dominant player not want to see this sector grow? Is the dominant player wary of competition, and even more precisely, wary of competitive pricing, choice, and value for money for the consumer?" Kibati stated.
Safaricom's Chief Executive Officer Michael Joseph has denied the allegations, stating that the company wrote to the CA as a player in the industry and not to sabotage the merger.
Kibati has warned that if the approval of the merger is delayed, Kenya may return to a monopoly in the telecommunications sector, similar to the pre-merger era.
