Starlink entry: CAK boss nominee Kemei promises to resolve stalemate with Safaricom if confirmed
The main services offered by Starlink are provision of high speed internet for residential connection, on the go connection and even sea connection.
Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) Director-General appointee David Kemei has assured Kenyans that he will resolve the controversy surrounding the entry of American satellite internet provider Starlink into the Kenyan market once he is approved for the position by Parliament.
Mr David Kemei. He was nominated to the job of Director-General of Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK).
Mr Kemei, who is expected to undergo vetting by a joint Departmental Committee on Finance and National planning on Tuesday, on Sunday said he would employ a multi-sectoral approach to break the standoff between Starlink and local internet providers.
Speaking to the Nation.Africa, Mr Mr Kemei said he understands the grievances raised by local firms that have been providing internet using other technologies, including dial-up, mobile, Wi-Fi hotspots, dial-up and broadband.
“You cannot give a blanket approval. You have to look at all aspects and put them in perspective, put all the teams together and you look at it,” Mr Kemei said.
Advanced technology
However, he urged local businesses to prepare for change and embrace advanced technology to improve service delivery to Kenyans.
“The beauty of Starlink is that it will force local players to be innovative and creative,” he said.
“We want somebody who will shake them so that they wake up and be creative. We want them to be shaken so that they give us better services, so that nobody would declaring billions of profits while there are other areas which are not connected.”
He said he would ensure all stakeholders are included in the matter to ensure that everybody is given space to operate but at the same time to protect the local firms from unfair competitions.
According to him, some of the local companies have invested billions of shillings in infrastructure, which cannot simply be wiped out by the arrival of a new internet providers.
Mr Kemei said the security of the country and data protection must be considered before approving Starlink to spread its high-speed internet to Kenyans.
“How is our security issues? How do we take care of terrorism if we are using satellite?
If confirmed, Mr Kemei would take over the seat from former Director-General Wang’ombe Kariuki whose two terms of five years each came to an end in January 2023.
Following the exit of Mr Wang’ombe, the authority named Adano Rioba in 2023 to take over the leadership in an acting capacity.
Initially, the financial and strategic management practitioner worked at as the director for Kenya Re-Insurance Company from 2014 to 2020 and Chairperson to the board in the same company.
He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting as well as a master’s in business administration (MBA) from the University of Nairobi.
Mr Kemei schooled with President William Ruto at Kapsabet High School in Nandi County, a coincidence which he says will not influence him from executing his roles as the director-general of CAK.
The new appointee has also assured Kenyans that he will promote and enforce compliance in the Kenyan markets as one of the roles of the authority, as well as investigating complaints from legal or natural persons and consumer bodies over issues which are affecting them.
