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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Dear Mr Muthengi, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>We appreciate your kind opinion and advise you that Cofek has planned a public forum on #DigitalMigration on <b>Thursday, December 11, 2014</b> from <b>7.00 am to 11.00 am</b>. The event will be officiated by ICT Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i. The meeting is aimed at creating awareness on some of the issues you are raising. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>We have been <u>clearly informing consumers that there is a difference between pay-tv (cheaper but with subscriptions) and FTA(one-off but expensive) decoders. We have also shared the CA link of all other STB vendors</u>. Apparently, you seem to be the only one complaining. Unknown to you, we were part of the exercise that negotiated with GotvKenya and StarTimesKenya on lowering the cost of their set top boxes in order to trigger price cuts. You must, however, understand that they make their own business decisions. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>We will continue to work with all key stakeholders the pay-tv vendors, CA and MOICT to sensitize consumers on the information you have shared. You are also invited to our Thursday event. We will be happy to give you a brief opportunity to add value to the need for more sensitization. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Yours Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>David Kedode<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>(for Cofek) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> John Muthengi [mailto:wanyiva@hotmail.com] <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 09, 2014 11:18 AM<br><b>To:</b> david@cofek.co.ke; theresia@cofek.co.ke<br><b>Cc:</b> cpa@ca.go.ke; wangusi@ca.go.ke; otieno@ca.go.ke; alwala@ca.go.ke; ambani@ca.go.ke; hotline@cofek.co.ke; editor@ke.nationmedia.com; editorial@standardmedia.co.ke; kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke; ikburuett@ca.go.ke<br><b>Subject:</b> Digital migration (Decorders)<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222;background:white'>Dear David Kedode (COFEK)</span><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222;background:white'>I reside in Nairobi. Recently after the analogue switch off dates were announced on the national dailies, I was given i pamphlet on the street of Nairobi by GOtv Kenya and StarTimes. The GOtv Kenya pamphlet had indicated that their decoders prices is Ksh. 1799 and 2 month free access. The StartTime pamphlet had indicated that their decoders prices is Ksh 199 and monthly subscription for Ksh. 149 with no mention on whether they are Free to air(FTA) Set-top Box</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'>These prices were very intriguing so I decided to visit their tents to secure one only to discover that the information on the pamphlet was only to confuse the consumer. I think think they should be compelled to fully disclose full details on front details because the I feel they are confusing consumers. They have opted to put FREE TO AIR(FTA) prices at the back of the pamphlet while most consumers tend to read top page. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'>GOtv Kenya sales guy advised me that FTA decoder was actually costing Kshs. (1,799+2,600=4,399) and StarTimes FTA decoder of Ksh.199 was not true because the FTA decoder is actually trading at Ksh. 3999.</span></b><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'>When I saw your email you circulated I was very disappointing because you seem to have turned your great organisation into marketing agency of the two marketers instead of protecting consumers. I also think you were impartial and misleading to campaign for two marketers while we have others selling Digital migration Set-top Box(STB) even at cheaper prizes as I have seem in CA website. Ideally you should have taken time to research and check who has best prices and more so after you put-up a paid up advertisement on Standard newspaper of 27th November 2014 advising consumers on FTA Set-top Boxes. In my view you are now protecting marketers and not consumers. Also it is very important to be aware that digital migration is a big financial burden to middle low and lower class Kenyans who have limited financial resources at their disposal. They do not have the financial capacity to afford Pay-tv whose FTA set-Top boxes whose cost is high to to monthly subscriptions. They deserve your protection and not exploitation.</span><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Your impartiality has even gone a notch higher by allowing the two marketers to take over your website to display this misleading information.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'> I sincerely feel that the consumer should be well informed about the a product before any purchase and I felt that my right as a consumer was been violated by your uncalled for action. I hope this complain will be given at-most attention.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'>Kind Regards<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222'>John Muthengi (Nairobi)<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></body></html>