Editor's Review

"People still trust our brand, our reputation is still very strong."

Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa has spoken out about the criticism it received during last year’s Gen Z-led protests, however, defending the company's reputation.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, May 13, Ndegwa addressed the period of internet disruptions that coincided with the mass protests.

The outages led to speculation that Safaricom may have collaborated with state agencies to curtail digital communication during the demonstrations.

However, the company has consistently denied the claims.

“In a crisis like we faced last year, when there were the Gen Z protests, there was an internet issue and the issue of data. It doesn’t matter what story we say, at the end of the day, we pride ourselves on delivering and always being safe and secure.

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"In a way, we disappointed customers because the internet was not working at that point," he said.

File image of Peter Ndegwa

While expressing regret for the service lapse, Ndegwa emphasized that the incident has been a wake-up call for both corporate and political institutions.

Additionally, he insisted that the company’s public standing remains intact despite the public backlash.

"On the Gen Z side, it’s a learning for everyone, it’s a learning from a political and from a corporate perspective. People still trust our brand, our reputation is still very strong," he added.

Notably, this comes months after Ndegwa explained why the telecommunications company is involved in the Social Health Authority (SHA). 

In an interview on October 23, 2024, the CEO said the company is part of the program to support its customers to live better.

"If Safaricom is not involved in those big programs like SHA, who will? We always rise to the occasion. We have to support our customers to live better. The big sectors that affect our population are agriculture, education, and healthcare.

"Even on the foundation side, we focus on healthcare and education because those are the places where you make a huge impact on the broader population. That is the reason why we are involved," he explained.