Safaricom dealers cry foul over boycott, say one million will lose jobs

The Safaricom Dealers Association chairperson, Esther Muchemi, and treasurer, Abdisalam Ali, said boycott of Safaricom products would increase unemployment. [Willis Awandu, Standard]

At least one million Kenyans risk losing their livelihoods following the Opposition’s call for a boycott of the services and products offered by the leading communications provider.

Safaricom dealers on Monday expressed concern about their businesses, criticising the action by the National Super Alliance (NASA) as ill-advised and bad for the economy.

The business owners under the Safaricom Dealers Association said the boycott has affected their businesses that were already feeling the pinch of political heat arising from prolonged electioneering.

They said if a political solution is not found, then one million Kenyans employed through the telco’s business chain will be rendered jobless.

They observed that the country is already reeling from increased unemployment and such a boycott would only worsen the situation. “This is a political matter and should not involve Safaricom or any other company. We must resist the urge to kill Kenyan business because of political mileage,” said Jeremy Ouko, a board member of the association.

Safaricom came under fire by the NASA coalition that recently unveiled a resistance arm over its involvement in the August 8 election.

The telco, through a statement, dismissed the malpractice claims.

Chief Executive Bob Collymore said the telco transmitted the August 8 elections results to the Kenya Integrated Election Management System kits, as per the contractual agreement, adding that the company is ready to be investigated for any alleged malpractice. Although the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions last month indicated that a team had been set up to investigate the matter, NASA went ahead to name Bidco, Brookside, and Safaricom as the firms whose products and services should be boycotted.

“What is right is right, whether it is projected by Jubilee, NASA, or any other political outfit. We are not politicians but bad politics will affect our business. Let us sober up,” said the association’s chairperson, Esther Mushemi.

The dealers said some of their representatives at the grassroots level in NASA strongholds are being threatened. Ouko said the boycott is unwarranted, considering Safaricom is the highest taxpayer.