Slashed Kenya, Rwanda Safaricom rates reversed

The company had cut calling rates between Kenya and Rwanda by more than half from Sh25 per minute to Sh10 and was to charge customers visiting Rwanda same rate to call Kenya and within that country.

The giant telecom had also scrapped charges for receiving calls while in Rwanda.

"This new developments make it impossible for operators in Kenya and Rwanda to go ahead with the planned downward revision in tariffs. We will therefore revert to the previous tariffs even as we push on with efforts to ensure that we have affordable calling rates for the region", said Safaricom's CEO Bob Collymore.

East Africa Community states are expected to meet on Thursday where a proposal to scrap roaming rates is the main agenda according to ICT Cabinet secretary Fred Matiang'i.

Regional integration

In August, the CS disclosed that discussions have been ongoing among the five member states to realise this goal as part of measures to support regional integration.

Communication Authority of Kenya said the meeting that will be held this week will discuss emerging issues affecting the implementation of the One Network concept for the region which calls for lower calling tariffs that are uniform across all member countries.

"There will be a meeting of Regulators in Arusha, Tanzania to consider draft Terms of Reference developed by a joint EACO/EAC task force on the One Network Area concept, as well as review the proposed short term implementation framework," said CA in an email reply to the Star.

Different tax regimes in the EAC member states cause a variation in calling rates from one country to another. Kenya is currently the only EAC member that does not tax cross border calls.

Safaricom has begun discussions with the Ministry of Information and Communications, and CA to pursue a revision of the position taken by the Rwanda government.