Safaricom CEO explains why there was network outage on Tuesday
By Hilary KimuyuSafaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa has said that Tuesday’s network outage, which occurred amid anti-tax protests, was due to the failure of two of the company’s undersea cables that carry internet in and out of the country.
In a video statement issued in the wake of the tragic events during the June 25 anti-tax protests that took place across the country, the company said the reduced bandwidth on key internet traffic cables also affected the entire region and not just Kenya.
“I sincerely apologise for the network outage that started on 25 June. This outage was caused by reduced bandwidth on some of the cables that carry internet traffic. This affected not only Safaricom but the entire industry. We are doing everything possible to ensure that you get the service you deserve,” said Mr Ndegwa.
At the same time, the Safaricom CEO said that the telco does not disclose customer information or location.
This comes after rumours of the disclosure of customer information started circulating on social media, with the company insisting that it abides by the country’s privacy laws following an uproar from Kenyans.
“Regarding the issue currently being discussed, we confirm that we have not received any court order requiring us to share customer information with any government agency. We respect the privacy of our customers and adhere strictly to the country’s data protection laws. As such, we do not share customer information unless specifically required to do so by a court order,” he said.
He said the company appreciates Kenyans who have exercised their right to protest peacefully, “your voices strengthen our democracy” and expressed his deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives during the recent protests. They said they were committed to serving all Kenyans without discrimination.
“At the outset, I would like to express my deepest condolences to those who lost their lives during the protests. I want to acknowledge and appreciate those who exercised their civic rights to participate in the process,” Mr Ndegwa said.
On Monday, Communications Authority Director General and CEO David Mugonyi said they had received reports of an imminent internet shutdown.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the authority has no intention of shutting down internet traffic or affecting the quality of connectivity,” Mugonyi said.
Mugonyi noted that doing so would be an affront to the Constitution as a whole and freedom of expression.
He added that shutting down the internet would sabotage the fast-growing digital economy that many Kenyans depend on for their livelihoods.
“We urge Kenyans to use the digital space with respect for all and within the confines of the law,” Mugonyi said.
In January, Safaricom was forced to apologise to its customers after a technical glitch affected its M-Pesa mobile money service, leaving thousands stranded.
“Our apologies for the inconvenience caused, we have a technical issue affecting M-Pesa, resolution is in progress, we ask for your patience,” Safaricom said on its social media accounts then.
The Treasury’s 2016 Budget Policy Statement (BPS) showed that a technological disaster affecting M-Pesa-dominated mobile transactions posed a fiscal risk, placing the money transfer systems among other potential threats to the economy being closely watched by policymakers.
The report’s authors predicted that an M-Pesa outage would lead to a loss of revenue – direct consumption tax and corporate tax from the companies that run the systems – and reduce confidence in the services.
It was the first time that the mobile money transfer system had been included in the list of fiscal risks, an indication of the strategic importance it has assumed in Kenya’s economy barely a decade after M-Pesa’s launch.