A call that cuts out halfway through a sentence. Mobile data that crawls once you leave the city. These are the complaints that sent Kenya’s government and its three mobile operators to the same table in Nairobi on Thursday, July 2, 2026.
The Communications Authority of Kenya convened the meeting. Stephen Isaboke, the principal secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications, spoke for the government, and the chief executives of Safaricom, Airtel Kenya and Telkom Kenya attended. The Standard reported that the government had raised concerns over falling quality of service, with some firms seen to be close to breaching their licensing obligations.
The tone in the room, though, was cooperative. “Delivering world-class digital services requires strong partnerships between Government, regulators and industry,” Isaboke said, according to ITWeb Africa. “We will do everything to ensure that Kenyans receive the services they deserve. Where there are gaps, especially as technology evolves, we will work together to address them.”
What officials want fixed
Isaboke listed several fronts: coverage in underserved areas, networks ready for artificial intelligence and 5G, and reliable connections for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya co-hosts. He said the government would work with the Ministry of Sports and others so that stadiums, airports and hotels staging the tournament have dependable signals. Officials also discussed fibre cuts, energy costs and the security of infrastructure.
For Isaboke, the issue goes beyond football. Every Kenyan, he said, should have reliable coverage wherever they live, because communication services are essential for reaching government services and for voter registration ahead of the elections scheduled for 2027.
The Communications Authority’s own account of a related briefing named its director general, David Mugonyi, who stressed the regulator’s duty to safeguard service quality and protect consumers. It also listed Airtel Kenya managing director Djibril Tobe and Telkom Kenya chief executive Mugo Kibati among those present, and said the talks followed rising consumer worries about dropped calls, slow internet speeds and fluctuating network performance.
The operators’ side
Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom’s chief executive, spoke for the industry. Rapid urbanization and a growing number of high-rise buildings, he said, were among the sector’s main challenges, along with taking coverage to remote areas and continuing to invest in fibre-optic, 4G and 5G infrastructure. Reliable electricity, he added, is essential to keep communications running, so operators are investing in backup power and urging subscribers to move from 2G handsets to 4G-compatible devices.
Ndegwa conceded that some local problems persist because of changing urban landscapes and difficult terrain. He said operators weigh customer feedback and work with the regulator, particularly through the Universal Service Fund, to improve connections in underserved areas.
Ecofin Agency noted that the approach differs from that of many African countries, where operators face repeated regulatory notices and the threat of penalties when they miss quality targets.
Sources
- Kenya reviews ICT service quality
- Kenya Pursues Collaborative Model to Improve Telecom Service Quality
- Sector Leaders Commit to Improving Telecommunications Service Delivery
- State flags falling telcos' service quality (The Standard, paywalled; only the opening is visible)
