Representatives of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation on Tuesday to argue against the Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which would introduce mandatory internet metering.

KEPSA’s Ben Roberts and Fiona Asonga told the committee, chaired by Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie, that the bill could make internet access more expensive for Kenyans and jeopardise the earnings of thousands of young people who rely on online platforms for work.

Roberts argued that the Communications Authority of Kenya already has statutory powers to investigate consumer complaints and regulate internet services, making the proposed statutory metering redundant.

He highlighted that internet services differ from utilities like electricity because providers offer a range of data bundles and unlimited packages that can be tailored to customers’ budgets and business needs.

Roberts warned that mandatory metering would reduce this flexibility, discourage digital participation and could lead to higher charges as providers would need to install deep‑packet inspection equipment and related software.

Asonga added that many young Kenyans use connectivity for online tutoring, content creation, e‑commerce and virtual assistance, describing the internet as both their workplace and shopfront, and cautioned that metered services could price them out of self‑employment.

She called for the Bill to be rejected outright, urging Parliament to protect affordable connectivity in underserved regions such as Turkana and to adopt international best practices that support flexible broadband use.

Committee vice‑chair Alfah Miruka and MP Erastus Kivasu Nzioka asked KEPSA for a detailed cost‑benefit analysis of the required monitoring hardware and software, and whether the alliance had examined comparable regulations elsewhere.

KEPSA responded that the system would entail substantial investment, could overlap with existing government institutions, lacked adequate public participation and might breach consumer‑rights provisions in Article 46 of the Constitution.

Committee chair John Kiarie assured that the committee would consider the industry’s concerns as part of an inclusive legislative process guided by public participation, before making any recommendation.