The Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) has dismissed social media reports that it is planning to increase licensing fees for postal and courier firms from Ksh50,000 to Ksh1.5 million.
In a statement on Wednesday, September 17, CA clarified that the current Postal and Courier licensing framework does not include any fee of Ksh50,000.
The authority noted that only the Posta Corporation of Kenya (PCK), which exclusively holds the Public Postal Operator Licence, will be affected.
CA explained that the license attracts a one-time initial licence fee of Ksh500,000, which was last paid in 1999 and an annual fee of Ksh500,000.
The authority stated it is proposing to increase the one-time initial licence fee to Ksh1.5 million, attributing the rise to inflation.
“The proposal under consultation is to revise the one-time initial licence fee to Ksh1.5 million, reflecting inflation over the past 25 years. This fee is only applicable to PCK, payable once every 15 years,” the authority stated.
The authority noted that the annual licence fee of Ksh500,000 will remain unchanged.
According to CA, in over a 40-year period, PCK would have paid Ksh2 million in initial licence fees.
The authority further said that the International Courier Licence, both initial and annual, will remain at Ksh100,000, while the National Courier Licence, initial and annual, will remain at Ksh30,000.
“Accordingly, all fees applicable to courier operators, whether national or international, remain unchanged in the proposed framework,” CA added.
Additionally, CA refuted claims that it plans to reduce licence terms from 20 years to 15 years.
“The PCK licence, issued in 1999, had a 25-year duration. However, for all other sectors regulated by the Authority—including telecoms, broadcasting, and courier—the standard licence term is 15 years, consistent with international practice,” the authority said.
CA said it is proposing to cut the courier licence term from 15 years to 10 years, citing market realities where many entrants obtain affordable licences but leave them dormant.
The clarification comes days after CA Director General David Mugonyi announced that the authority will review the postal and courier market structure.
Mugonyi said the review is aimed at addressing and removing certain market entry and operational barriers identified over time, providing greater clarity on the scope of the various licences and proposing necessary changes in line with the current ICT sector policy.
He also said it will offer stakeholders and members of the public an opportunity to submit proposals for the adoption of strategies.
