Consumer Federation of Kenya secretary-general, Stephen Mutoro at a past meeting. Photo/FILE
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The date, agreed upon by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) and Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) on Thursday, ended a stalemate between the two parties.
About one million analogue television-set users in Nairobi now have until September 15 to invest in digital convertors after the day was settled on as the new switch off date.
The date, agreed upon by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) and Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) on Thursday, ended a stalemate between the two parties that had reached the courts.
The two parties also agreed that measures to help reduce the cost of the set-top boxes be looked into over and above increasing the licensed vendors from the current 22.
CCK would also embark on a consumer education programme on the need and process of digital migration, with lessons being borrowed from Tanzania which switched from analogue broadcast signals on December 31.
“CCK is to address warranty issues and ensure, to the extent practical, availability of sufficient digital signal strengths within Nairobi and outskirts which will be affected by phase one of the planned switch off,” a statement by Cofek’s secretary-general Stephen Mutoro read in part.
“The compromise was reached for analogue signal switch-off on or after September 15, 2013.”
Treasury imports, VAT waivers as well as subsidies were also floated as some of the possible ways through which costs of the devices –which currently average Sh5,000 - can be reduced.
Senior Ministry of Information and Communications officials in December let out that government was considering introducing subsidies to be paid directly to importers of the equipment.
This, they said, cut by up to half the prices of digital receivers making it affordable for many consumers.
In June, the government removed import duty charged on set-top boxes in a bid to bring down the prices but this had little impact on the prices.
“Mechanisms to lower the cost of set-top boxes should be explored further in order that the price comes down significantly,” the Cofek statement further states.
Cofek moved to court on December 10, seeking to block the switch alleging discrimination against Kenyans who cannot afford the equipment and that the notice to acquire the set-top boxes was too short.
The law suit ensured that the initial migration deadline of December 31, 2012 was not met with Cofek later pushing for October 31, 2013 date saying this would allow a smooth transition.
Even with the raft of resolutions being agreed upon, Cofek’s wants the Sh2.5 million it spent in legal fees be handled by CCK, the Information and Communications ministry and the Attorney-General –the three respondents in the case.
“After deliberation, it was agreed the matter be left with respective legal counsels to come up with way forward,” Mr Mutoro added.
The Regional Radio Communication Conference held in Geneva in 2006 set a 2015 deadline for migration to digital TV, but the East African Community members set the December deadline. So far only Tanzania has adhered to the deadline.
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