Attendants stock Star Times decoders at Samrat Supermarket in Nyeri on November 24, 2013. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI
In Summary
- Mr James Macharia, an attendant at the Maathai Supermarket confessed that he had not bought the set top box even though he has been selling them to others. He however said he will eventually buy it as it was futile to oppose the government.
- The Customer Care attendant at the Maathai Supermarket said after the initial switch off on Monday, the supermarket experienced an increase in sales with 25 out of the 30 GOtv boxes in stock being sold.
Nyeri residents seem to have adopted a wait-and-see attitude ahead of the scheduled analogue TV switch-off later in March with many yet to purchase digital decoders.
Most outlets retailing the digital boxes reported low sales of the gadgets with a slight surge in sales at the Maathai Supermarket after the initial switch-off by the leading three media houses on the night of December 23.
NTV, KTN, Citizen Tv and Qtv went off air on Monday to protest a decision by the High Court which ruled that the switch over to digital migration should proceed as scheduled. (READ: NTV, KTN and Citizen switched off)
But a spot check by the Daily Nation in Nyeri town Friday showed that most residents were yet to purchase the gadgets.
Mr James Macharia, an attendant at the Maathai Supermarket confessed that he had not bought the set top box even though he has been selling them to others. He however said he will eventually buy it as it was futile to oppose the government.
“I will buy it. You can’t oppose the government. What they should do is to give us more time,” said Mr Macharia.
His colleague at the Customer Care desk, however, had a different opinion saying even if there was an extension to the deadline Kenyans will still not be ready.
“Most people like the last minute rush. They’ll wait for the switch-off and then rush to buy the decoders,” he said.
The Customer Care attendant at the Maathai Supermarket said after the initial switch off on Monday, the supermarket experienced an increase in sales with 25 out of the 30 GOtv boxes in stock being sold.
He also added that there was a similar number of sales of the Star Times decoders.
At the Aberdares Electronics Shop which also stocks the gadgets, the proprietor Ms Elizabeth Kirigo reported low sales throughout the period.
Ms Kirigo said she usually sold one gadget per day.
Another resident who declined to be named said he had already purchased the digital box for Sh5000 but added the government should exempt the decoders from taxation for people to afford them.
A GOtv decoder is retailing at Sh3, 399 with an additional Sh2, 600 one off administration fee for Gotv open local (FTA) channels at the end of two months.
The Star Times Free to air digital box costs Sh4, 999 while the Pay TV digital box costs Sh2, 999. (READ: TV viewers will dig deeper into their pockets to stay connected)
Other residents seem not to care about the consequences of being switched off like a one Mr Peter Waithaka.
“If we lived without doctors for two weeks, we can live without the TVs for two years,” said Mr Waithaka.
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