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A Kenyan man has recently made headlines by asking Safaricom to refund his internet payments following a claim by President William Ruto that the government provides free Wi-Fi across the country.
This incident has sparked a wave of reactions on social media, highlighting concerns about the reality of free Wi-Fi in Kenya.
The man, known as Newton Joseph on X (formerly Twitter), drew attention with his humorous and pointed request to Safaricom.
In a tweet, Joseph questioned whether he was actually paying for his Wi-Fi service or if the government was covering the costs as Ruto had suggested.
To back his claim, Joseph shared a video clip from a speech by President Ruto during the launch of Linzi Sukuk, where Ruto talked about free Wi-Fi and how some people were misusing it to send casual greetings.
In his tweet, Joseph wrote, "President Ruto: Kenyans are using government-provided free Wi-Fi 'kutusalimia.' Safaricom PLC, please tell me that I am the one who pays for my monthly Wi-Fi... and that I don't pay on behalf of the government. If they are paying for me, let's calculate and refund me, please." This tweet quickly went viral, catching the attention of many Kenyans and drawing a response from Safaricom.
Safaricom, Kenya's leading telecommunications company, responded to Joseph's tweet by asking him to provide more details about his internet issues.
They requested that he send a direct message with information about his home fibre service and his account number. Safaricom's response was seen as a way to address Joseph's concerns and resolve any issues with his service.
Many Kenyans took to social media to express their skepticism about Ruto's claim. They argued that free Wi-Fi is not widely available in most parts of the country, and many people still rely on mobile data for internet access.
This sentiment was echoed by several users who questioned where this free Wi-Fi is actually located.
One user commented, "Ruto believes Kenyans are using free government Wi-Fi to greet government officials, but where is this free Wi-Fi? Kenyans rely on mobile data and are demanding accountability."
Another user accused former CS Eliud Owalo of misleading the president about the extent of free Wi-Fi availability, stating, "Former CS Eliud Owalo lied to the president that there's free Wi-Fi across the country."
The issue of free Wi-Fi has also been a topic of discussion in the context of recent political events.
During a Town Hall event with residents of Mombasa, President Ruto mentioned that he had considered shutting off the internet during the July protests.
He compared Kenya's situation to that of Bangladesh, where the internet and media were shut off to prevent coverage of protests.
Ruto explained that he chose not to take such measures, emphasizing his commitment to media freedom and the rule of law.
He stated that the media in Kenya was free to cover the protests and that the internet remained accessible throughout the country.
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