A wave of mixed reactions swept across Kenya following the announcement of a groundbreaking partnership between Airtel Africa and Elon Musk’s Starlink, aimed at expanding high-speed internet connectivity across the continent.
On Monday, May 5, Airtel Africa confirmed it had entered into a collaboration with SpaceX subsidiary Starlink to offer satellite-based internet services across 14 African countries.
Among them is Kenya, where Starlink has been licensed since 2023 and already commands a growing user base of 16,786 subscribers, accounting for 1.1% of the market.
According to the telecom giants, the partnership will be especially instrumental in bridging connectivity gaps in remote and underserved areas. However, the announcement sparked a lively online debate, as Kenyans took to social media to share a mix of excitement, sarcasm, and skepticism.
Some welcomed the news with open arms, hopeful that the partnership would finally shake up a market long dominated by a few players.
“Good news… Airtel imetushikilia for long,” one user wrote, applauding Airtel’s persistent efforts to improve service.
“We have to embrace this. It will create competition,” another added.
Others responded with humor, pointing fingers at rival telco Safaricom, which has long enjoyed dominance in Kenya’s internet space.
“Safaricom have just joined the must-go bandwagon, may you rest in pieces,” joked one Kenyan
“The green company in Westlands is about to see bad things,” another one said.
However, not all reactions were rosy. Some users expressed doubt about Airtel’s current network quality and questioned whether the Starlink deal would translate into real improvements.
“Unless you boost the network your service will remain low,” one skeptic noted.
Airtel has yet to provide detailed timelines for rollout or pricing models specific to Kenya, but the potential for direct-to-cell connectivity and faster broadband speeds has generated considerable anticipation.
With Starlink’s reputation for delivering high-speed internet via satellite, especially in hard-to-reach areas and Airtel’s extensive African footprint, industry stakeholders suggest this partnership could mark a turning point in the region’s digital landscape.
