Elon Musk’s role fuels Kenyan Gen Z-driven protests

Elon Musk is believed to have played a pivotal role in fueling Kenyan Gen Z-driven protests by empowering protesters with his satellite internet company, Starlink and transforming Kenya’s internet landscape.

Kenyans have until August 5 to purchase discounted internet kits at selected Naivas Supermarket branches, including Prestige, Ojijo Road, and Mountain Mall.

Naivas announced the promotion on their social media, highlighting the significant discounts. “The Starlink Internet kit is now back in store! Get ready for high-speed, uninterrupted internet while enjoying crazy discounts on the Starlink kit! Offers valid in selected branches until August 5, 2024,” the retailer posted on its X social media handle.

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Starlink aims to provide stiff competition to established internet service providers like Safaricom and Airtel. By reducing its installation costs from KSh 89,000 to KSh 45,500, Starlink is making high-speed broadband more accessible. Customers are encouraged to take advantage of the offer to save up to KSh 43,500.

Since entering the Kenyan market in July 2023, Starlink has been targeting remote areas with high-speed internet. To further entice customers, Starlink has also reduced its monthly subscription fees.

The new, cheaper data plans are set to challenge the dominance of Safaricom and Airtel. For instance, Starlink’s 50GB monthly data bundle costs KSh 1,300, significantly cheaper than Airtel’s KSh 3,000 and Safaricom’s KSh 2,500 for similar packages.

Musk’s initiative has had a direct impact on the ground in Kenya, especially during the protests. With more affordable and reliable internet access, protesters have been able to share videos and images of the demonstrations in real-time on Musk’s social media platform, X. This connectivity has amplified their voices and brought greater visibility to their cause.

The impact of Musk’s venture has not gone unnoticed by Kenyans, who reached out to him via X, urging for more affordable options after an internet outage affected local broadband providers on June 25. Influencer Amerix and East African Data Handlers CEO George Njoroge persuaded Musk that a more affordable Starlink service would attract a larger subscriber base.

Responding to these requests, Musk assured Kenyans of an upcoming package named Starlink Mini, which would be half the price of the standard plan. This move is expected to further disrupt the Kenyan internet market and provide more affordable and reliable internet access to more people, enabling even greater connectivity during significant events and protests.