Safaricom faces record fine for failing to connect calls to small firms
Nairobi — Kenya’s biggest telecoms operator Safaricom faces a fine of about $4.5m for failing to connect calls made to smaller firms, according to company and regulatory documents. The Communications Authority of Kenya has imposed a fine on Safaricom, part-owned by SA’s Vodacom and Britain’s Vodafone, of 0.2% of its gross revenue for the last financial year, equivalent to 449-million shillings ($4.5m), the documents show. Safaricom denies the accusation and has secured a temporary suspension of the fine pending a hearing before an industry tribunal, according to the documents. If upheld by the tribunal, the fine would be the largest ever imposed by Kenya’s telecoms regulator. The fine marks an escalation of a row between the firm and the regulator over competition in the sector. The two parties have been tussling over a report on the industry, which among other things calls for price controls on Safaricom to help smaller operators. "The CA is trying to stamp its authority," said Eri...
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