Safaricom Faces Backlash for Conflicting Reasons Behind Two-Hour Internet Outage in Kenya

Kenya’s telecom giant, Safaricom, is facing backlash after giving conflicting reasons for a nationwide internet outage on Tuesday. The outage, lasting over two hours, happened alongside countrywide protests against the now-retracted 2024 Finance Bill.

Initially, Safaricom blamed the disruption on a damaged underground cable. However, Netblocks, an internet observatory platform, disagreed, saying there was no evidence of such damage. Additionally, major undersea cable providers like TEAMs, SEACOM, and Eassy reported no issues with their services.

Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom’s CEO, later claimed the whole telecom industry was affected. Yet, other providers, except Airtel Kenya, did not report similar problems. Airtel Kenya only mentioned intermittent issues. Customers were surprised at how quickly Safaricom fixed the outage, as undersea cable repairs typically take much longer.

Telecom companies usually have backup systems to handle outages. Safaricom might have rerouted traffic through alternative channels while identifying the main problem, explaining the quick restoration of services.

The disruption angered customers and significant creative partners, including social media influencers. Many, like former rugby player and chef Ombachi Dennis, ended partnerships with Safaricom, citing misaligned values. “I won’t be working with you,” Ombachi posted on X.

Some customers even started selling their shares, causing Safaricom’s stock to drop 3.6% to KES 17.00 ($0.13) today.

“For the first time, Safaricom is in a real panic; there is no traditional arrogance,” one social media user noted on X.

With over 27 million monthly active mobile data users, the outage turned into a public relations nightmare. CEO Peter Ndegwa issued a sincere apology on X.

In 2022, Kenya’s Communications Authority (CA) introduced guidelines for customer compensation during network outages, except for scheduled maintenance, natural disasters, or accidental damage. Since Safaricom claims the outage was due to accidental damage, affected customers are unlikely to receive compensation.