REGULATORS

Regulatory bodies are the means through which the people of a nation can supervise the activities of organisations and companies.

The fundamental goal of any regulator is to protect the safety and interests of the public, which typically means ensuring that there is adequate, healthy competition among providers and that the public are protected from misleading or unscrupulous business practices.

We are overseen by eight regulatory authorities and our chief regulator is the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), which is the regulatory authority for the Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) sector in Kenya.

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR REGULATORS

Our services play an important and, occasionally, critical role in the daily lives of over 29 million Kenyans. As a result, our regulators expect us to provide our services in a reasonable, responsible, ethical and environmentally sensitive manner, providing customers with adequate information and support to access and enjoy our services, while respecting their rights. Our regulators also require us to compete for business fairly and to play our part in helping to empower and transform the lives of Kenyans through innovation and investment.

REGULATORMANDATEISSUES ON WHICH WE ENGAGE
Communications Authority of Kenya (CA)The CA is the regulatory authority for the ICT sector in Kenya. It works to ensure the people of Kenya receive the best possible services from communications providers.Licensing
Spectrum Management
Consumer issues
Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE)
SIM-card Registration Regulations
Universal Service Fund (USF)
Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK)The CAK works to promote competition for the benefit of consumers, businesses and the economy as a whole.
Competition and Trade practices
Consumer issues
Central Bank of Kenya (CBK)The CBK seeks to promote and maintain a stable, efficient financial system that serves the economy and the people of Kenya.Mobile money transfer services (M-PESA)
International money transfer services
Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)The KRA is responsible for the effi cient assessment and collection of revenue (taxes) on behalf of the government.Taxation
National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)NEMA is mandated to ensure the natural resources and environment of Kenya are managed in a sustainable manner.Environmental Impact Assessments
Environmental Audits
E-waste management
Energy management regulations
Climate change
Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB)
The BCLB seeks to promote reasonable, legal and sustainable gambling activities in Kenya and authorises lotteries and prize competitions.Safaricom promotions
Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA)
The KCAA is responsible for the safety and management of the Kenyan airspace.
Site acquisitions
Approval of proposed Base Transceiver Stations
Capital Markets Authority (CMA)The CMA protects the interests of investors and publicly-listed companies through licensing and supervising the capital markets industry.Corporate Governance

DELIVERING VALUE TO OUR REGULATORS

On a regular, ongoing basis, we deliver value to our regulators by complying with the obligations they have given us and through communicating and engaging with them on the issues that arise. In response to the SDG strategy, we now ensure that all collaborations and discussions with regulatory bodies support the creation and expansion of resilient infrastructure development in Kenya, based on inclusive, sustainable models that foster innovation.

Some of the specific issues on which we have engaged our regulators during the reporting period included: the new framework for measurement of Quality of Service (QoS) introduced by the CA; the draft Broadband Spectrum Policy published by the Ministry of ICT; our progress regarding the new 2G sites commissioned by the CA as part of the USF project; and the new Child Online Protection Strategy Framework being developed by the CA and the Ministry of ICT.