South Africa based MultiChoice has hit a nerve in another African country following an announcement to its Kenyan DSTV subscribers that the monthly subscriptions has been increased to sh 9,400 per month starting from next month.

“Dear DSTV subscriber, due to currency depreciation, please is advised that from 1st October, the subscription for DSTV premium will be Kes 9,400 pm” reads the text by DSTV.

Kenyans, who are already grappling with the high cost of inflation, did not take this lightly and have taken to social media in protest with the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) starting an online petition to call for the boycott of DSTV until Multichoice addresses the issue.

“Calling on all DSTV consumers in Kenya, even if you can afford, please sacrifice for the rest of Kenyans consumers’ #BoycottDstvKErenewal for the month of September until we receive answers,” Cofek’s petition reads in part.

DSTV’S popularity and loyalty in Kenya and across Africa is largely because of the European Premier League as multichoice enjoys the exclusive rights to air but its uncompetitive prices has seen the product remain elusive to majority of Kenyans even after the big switch off from analogue to digital transmission.

DSTV LIMITS EPL TO PREMIUM BOUQUET

In July this year, multi choice made it even worse after moving all EPL matches from super sport 3 to the DSTV Premium bouquet, which is the most expensive, a move that was largely critiqued by Soccer fans across the continent.

Kenya becomes the latest country to air out its discontent with multichoice after other African countries like Nigeria, Zambia and Ghana took to social media under a similar hashtag “boycott Dstv” early this year following an ad hoc increment in the DStv subscription fees.

According to most critics, Multichoice’s “exploitation” of its subscribers is largely due to lack of competition.

#BOYCOTT DSTV IN KENYA

Below are some of the tweets under Kenya’s trending hashtag # #BoyCottDstvKe;

Sewe frankline : I am so angry with @DStv_Kenya your packages are not worth what you are charging us you got to sort it out quickly #BoycottDstvKE

Tony ‏: I haven’t seen even a single tweet from professor Bamba! Where are you Jackton? We are in distress yawaa, We need your wisdom #BoycottDstvKE

stanley karanja ‏: #BoycottDstvKE am not boycotting, i simply won’t pay, it is no longer sustainable to pay 9400 for TV which i only view during weekends!

Mungara Gathogo: You can only enjoy one channel at a time. Most of the middle class are at work from 8-5pm daily. You need internet,not TV #BoycottDstvKe

It’s Kevin™ ‏: I echo the words of Professor Jackton J. Omollo aka Profesa Bamba…. “Pay for RENT, pay for UNGA but do not pay for TV!” #BoycottDstvKE

Collins Mutiso ‏: When the Dollar reduces against Kshs u don’t reduce the price. When the Dollar increases against Kshs you increase the price #BoycottDstvKE