The recent government announcement that it would switch off all analogue television broadcasts in Nairobi by 31^st December 2012, does not sit well with Cofek. The Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek) has warned that it will move to court if the date is not postponed.

Cofek says the move by the government to switch off analogue TV reception by the set deadline contravenes provisions of article 27 and 35 of the constitution by discriminating against individuals who might not afford set-top boxes at the current price.

The government recently released a list of locally available type approved DVB-T2 set top boxes, devices that can be used to enable analogue TV’s receive digital signal. A spot check by pesatalk has revealed that all of the Free-to-air set top boxes cost at least KES 5,300, with the most expensive ones retailing at KES 6,500.

Free-to-air set top boxes will enable users to receive free to air channels for free, without having to pay any monthly subscription fees. Cofek argues that these prices are too high for some.

As posted in The Business Daily, Cofek Secretary General Stephen Mutoro, through a letter to Information Ministry PS Bitenge Ndemo in regard to the 31^st December deadline, said, “You report view that further delay will be too expensive to investors confirms that the government is unfairly protecting the private sector at the expense of consumers and in total disregard of provision of Article 46 of the Constitution,”

“In the event that we do not favourably hear from you soonest, we will have no option other than seek judicial intervention.”

In the budget for the Financial Year 2012/2013 the government waived import duty on digital receiving devices (set top boxes) to make them affordable for consumers. The move seems not to have bore expected results as prices still seem to be high.