Kenya’s mobile service provider will making a 60 percent slash in the roaming calling rates between Kenya and Rwanda as from today (1st of October 2014).
The rates will move from Ksh25 to Ksh 10; this move comes ahead of the East African Community Heads of State initiative dubbed “One Network” which is to introduced next year.
Safaricom customers visiting Rwanda will make calls to local Rwandan networks at Kshs. 10, which is a 43% drop from the initial rate of Kshs. 17.50 per min. Customers making international calls from Kenya to Rwanda, and vice versa, will be billed at a rate of Kshs. 10 per min.
“These are the early wins of the joint lobbying initiative between operators in both countries and their respective governments over the last one year. We believe that by having affordable regional calling rates, we will be playing a crucial role in boosting regional commerce and social integration within the EAC”, said Safaricom’s CEO, Bob Collymore.
The landmark move which comes on the back of intense discussions by the East African Community ICT Ministers has been enabled by the scrapping of prohibitive taxes and levies enforced by Rwanda for receiving calls while roaming in Rwanda – which previously stood at Kshs. 25 per minute.
Collymore explained, “This is a significant milestone towards enabling people within the region enjoy affordable ICT services, in line with other aspirations of developing the EAC to become a formidable economic block within the continent”.