Wananchi Group’s Zuku satellite television service lost 30,788 subscribers in the year to June 2026 to bring its consumer pool to 157,051 users, deepening pressure on the pay-TV operator as rival providers MultiChoice and Azam attained significant gains during the period.
Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows that active Zuku satellite subscriptions dropped from 187,839 a year earlier, representing a 16.4 percent annual decline.
Zuku was the only other operator to post a drop alongside Star Times whose customers shrunk 3.1 percent to 189,871 during the year.
MultiChoice, which serves Kenya through GOtv and DStv, saw its collective subscriber base expand by 137,086 new users while Tanzanian-owned Azam saw its customer numbers increase by 7,883.
GOtv, which is the budget operator, recorded a 21.3 percent jump to hit 381,383 users while DSTV posted a 37.2 percent rise to 259,047.
Zuku’s decline 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 CA data shows 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 decline followed a 5.1 percent contraction in the previous quarter, when broadcasting subscriptions fell by 85,177, indicating continued pressure on traditional television distribution platforms.
The CA attributed the decline to customers moving to IPTV (internet-based content) services and higher set-top box costs linked to global chipset and related component prices.
‘The total number of subscriptions to broadcasting services stood at 1.5 million as of June 30th, 2026, representing a 1.8 per cent drop from last quarter, mainly attributed to lose of clients to IPTV subscribers and changes in the cost of Set-Top Boxes, following increases in global chipset costs and related component prices,’ said the CA.
‘The resulting increase in decoder acquisition costs constrained the ability of operators to sustain the previous level of new customer activations, consequently contributing to the decline in subscriptions recorded during the 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, marking a reduction of 19,627.
The annual decline contrasts with the growth recorded by competitors MultiChoice and Azam TV.
The growth of rival platforms comes as viewers gain more ways to access entertainment through satellite television, mobile broadband, fixed internet and streaming services.
Kenya’s fixed internet market has expanded as operators increase fibre and wireless connectivity, supporting access to online video platforms and IPTV services.
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.
The expansion of internet connectivity gives households alternatives to traditional satellite and cable subscriptions, although access costs and content preferences continue to influence consumer decisions.