Kenya’s copyright watchdog has made one of its most direct moves yet against the country’s growing digital piracy market.
In a sting operation in Kiplombe, Uasin Gishu County, the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) arrested Kelvin Kiplagat Singóei, accused of running an online network that illegally distributed and resold premium television streams.
The case shows how Kenya’s crackdown on online piracy is expanding from big-city cyber hubs to smaller towns, and how digital piracy is now entangled with data privacy and payment fraud risks for ordinary users.
Singóei allegedly marketed access to pay-TV sports and entertainment channels through social media and other online platforms, charging users for unauthorised access.
The service mimicked legitimate pay-TV offerings but relied on hacked or illegally shared streams. Investigators say the scheme not only breached copyright law but also put subscribers at risk. Many were asked to share personal information and make digital payments through unverified platforms, opening them up to scams, data theft, and malware.
KECOBO’s acting executive director, George Nyakweba, said such operations drain revenue from broadcasters and creators while feeding criminal networks that profit from user data and illegal subscriptions. He pointed to a wider economic cost — fewer investments in local productions, lost jobs in media, and reduced tax revenues.
The Eldoret Chief Magistrate’s Court released Singóei on a cash bail of KES 300,000, with a surety of the same amount. The case returns to court on 13 October for a pre-trial mention.
MultiChoice, one of the companies whose content was reportedly pirated, backed the enforcement action.
