Wananchi Group's Zuku satellite television service experienced a significant decline in subscribers, losing 30,788 customers in the year to June 2026. This brought its consumer pool to 157,051 users, increasing pressure on the pay-TV operator. According to data from the Communications Authority of Kenya, active Zuku satellite subscriptions dropped from 187,839 a year earlier, representing a 16.4 percent annual decline.
Zuku was not the only pay-TV operator to post a decline in subscribers. Star Times also saw a decline, albeit a smaller one, with a 3.1 percent drop to 189,871 customers during the year. In contrast, MultiChoice, which operates in Kenya through GOtv and DStv, saw its collective subscriber base expand by 137,086 new users. Tanzanian-owned Azam also saw its customer numbers increase by 7,883.
MultiChoice's GOtv, a budget operator, recorded a 21.3 percent jump to hit 381,383 users, while DStv posted a 37.2 percent rise to 259,047. The growth of rival platforms comes as viewers gain more ways to access entertainment through satellite television, mobile broadband, fixed internet, and streaming services. This increased competition is putting pressure on traditional pay-TV operators like Zuku.
The decline in Zuku's subscribers comes as the broader broadcasting sector faces competition from IPTV services, while households contend with the cost of television subscriptions, internet connectivity, and digital entertainment. The Communications Authority of Kenya reported that total broadcasting subscriptions fell 1.8 percent to 1.55 million in the three months to June, down from 1.58 million in March.
The CA attributed the decline to customers moving to IPTV services and higher set-top box costs linked to global chipset and related component prices. The authority noted that the total number of subscriptions to broadcasting services stood at 1.5 million as of June 30th, 2026, representing a 1.8 percent drop from the previous quarter.
Zuku's satellite business has contracted alongside a sharper decline in its cable television operations, which lost 3,282 subscriptions during the quarter under review to stand at 27,831, down from 31,113 in June 2025. Combined, Zuku's satellite and cable services stood at 184,882 subscriptions at the end of June, down from 204,509 three months earlier.
The expansion of internet connectivity in Kenya is giving households alternatives to traditional satellite and cable subscriptions. The CA recorded 2.84 million fixed internet subscriptions in June 2026, representing a 6.9 percent quarterly increase and 32.4 percent annual growth. This growth in internet connectivity is likely to continue influencing consumer decisions in the pay-TV market.
Key points
- Zuku's subscriber base declined by 16.4% to 157,051 in the year to June 2026.
- MultiChoice and Azam saw significant gains in subscribers during the same period.
- The decline in Zuku's subscribers is attributed to increased competition from IPTV services and higher set-top box costs.
