Three arrested after KECOBO raids Nairobi piracy operations, seizes broadcasting equipment

The Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) on Monday carried out coordinated enforcement operations in Nairobi targeting suspected piracy networks, arresting three individuals and confiscating broadcasting equipment believed to have been used to illegally distribute pay-TV content.

In the first raid, officers moved into Syvy Plaza in Pipeline, Embakasi, where they recovered a range of equipment including DStv decoders, signal amplifiers, splitters and cables.

According to KECOBO, the devices were being used to illegally intercept and redistribute premium television signals to multiple viewers without authorization. Three people were arrested at the site.

In a separate operation carried out at a Nairobi hotel, enforcement officers acted on complaints relating to suspected infringement of territorial broadcasting rights.

The first operation was conducted at Syvy Plaza in Pipeline within Kware, Embakasi, where officers confiscated suspected illegal broadcasting equipments. pic.twitter.com/JpQtp7Lst4

— Kenya Copyright Board (@KenyaCopyright) May 27, 2026

KECOBO said the establishment was allegedly exhibiting content outside the licensed region for which broadcast rights had been granted.

The board said the matter is still under investigation and further action will depend on the findings.

KECOBO reiterated that the unauthorised exhibition, screening or distribution of copyrighted material is illegal and undermines the livelihoods of content creators, broadcasters and rights holders.

They further urged members of the public to report suspected piracy activities to support ongoing enforcement efforts.

The latest raids come at a time of heightened concern over piracy and shifting dynamics in Kenya’s pay-TV sector.

Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) Sector Statistics Report show a sharp decline in reported pay-TV subscriptions following a change in how the regulator measures the market.

The CA now counts only “active subscriptions” accounts that have generated revenue within the previous 90 days, replacing the earlier system that recorded cumulative registered users.

Under the revised method, active subscriptions across major providers, including DStv, GOtv and StarTimes, fell significantly compared to the previous reporting period.

Beyond the methodological shift, stakeholders in the sector point to other structural challenges affecting the pay-TV industry.

These include rising subscription costs, increased competition from digital streaming platforms, and changing consumer viewing habits, particularly among younger audiences who are shifting towards online and mobile-based entertainment services.

Piracy remains a persistent challenge, especially in urban areas where illegal signal distribution networks are believed to operate.

Separately, the government has intensified its anti-piracy drive under the creative economy agenda, with the Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, Dennis Itumbi, announcing coordinated action targeting illegal streaming platforms.

Earlier this month, Dennis Itumbi announced the beginning of a government-led crackdown on illegal movie and streaming websites as effort to combat digital piracy and protect Kenya’s creative industry.

Day two of handling the copyright/Piracy issue and saving my job...

1. We agreed on a road map to reach out to major platforms including a meeting with French media giant Canal, who bought DSTV. It's top leadership will be in town next week for the France- Africa Summit

2. We… pic.twitter.com/0yb1m1gnKH

— -Dennis Itumbi, CBS (@OleItumbi) May 5, 2026

Itumbi said the government, working alongside the Communications Authority of Kenya and the Ministry of ICT’s anti-piracy committee, had already identified dozens of websites allegedly involved in distributing pirated film and television content.

According to him, the operation targeted at least 84 websites believed to be facilitating copyright infringement and illegal streaming.

We’ve already identified a number of illegal sites that have been driving this piracy,” Itumbi said.

Among the sites he mentioned were Goojara, FTMovies, and 123Movies. He claimed some of the platforms attract millions of visits every month, citing Goojara as receiving approximately 18.8 million monthly visits.

Itumbi stated that a pilot enforcement phase would begin immediately before a wider nationwide implementation.

“These sites will go down,” he said.

The crackdown comes amid renewed government efforts to strengthen the country’s creative economy, which President William Ruto has repeatedly described as a key source of jobs and youth empowerment.