KENYA · BUSINESS
Key Facts
- —What is happening MultiChoice, the pay-TV company behind DStv, cut its top Kenyan package by 37.6% and merged six packages into four, with the new prices starting on Thursday 5 November 2026.
- —Why it matters Most Kenyan satellite TV bills would fall, which tests whether lower prices can win back viewers lost to rivals and online streaming.
- —The numbers The top package falls from Sh11,700 (about US$90) to Sh7,300 (about US$56) a month, and the entry package costs Sh750 (about US$5.77).
- —Who is who MultiChoice runs DStv satellite TV and GOtv digital TV in Africa, and Canal+, a French pay-TV group, owns it; Nzola Miranda leads MultiChoice Kenya.
- —What to watch The prices start on Thursday 5 November 2026, when existing Compact Plus accounts are due to move to the Ultimate package.
- —What it means for you Americans who pay DStv bills for family in Kenya would pay less on most packages from 5 November, and Sports carries US-made UFC fighting and WWE wrestling shows.
MultiChoice, the pay-TV company behind DStv, has cut its top Kenyan package by 38%. Six packages become four from Thursday 5 November 2026.
MultiChoice, the pay-TV company behind DStv, has cut its top DStv price in Kenya by 37.6% and merged six packages into four. The new line-up starts on Thursday 5 November 2026, according to Business Daily, a Nairobi newspaper.
The top package, now called DStv Ultimate, falls from Sh11,700 (about US$90) to Sh7,300 (about US$56) a month. That is a saving of Sh4,400 (about US$33.87) a month, and it matters to anyone who pays these bills from abroad.
MultiChoice announced the new packages on Monday 26 October 2026 at a launch in Nairobi. This report converts shillings at about 130 per US$, the rate of 27 October 2026.
The New Line-Up Package by Package
DStv Starter costs Sh750 (about US$5.77) a month, DStv Select Sh1,500 (about US$11.55) and DStv Sports Sh3,000 (about US$23.09). DStv Kenya’s own post on X, quoted by Pulse Kenya, a Nairobi news site, lists the same four prices.
tech-ish, a Kenyan tech site, says Starter replaces Access at Sh1,450 (about US$11.16), and Select replaces Family at Sh2,250 (about US$17.32). Business Daily says Sports combines the former Compact and Compact Plus packages.
Starter carries about 116 channels, Select 149, Sports 159 and Ultimate up to 180, Pulse Kenya reports. Business Daily says Sports carries every English Premier League and UEFA Champions League match, plus WWE and UFC.
How the DStv Price Cut Compares With Old Prices
The biggest saving is at the top, where the former Premium package drops by Sh4,400 (about US$33.87) a month. DStv’s own Kenya page still showed Premium at Sh11,700 (about US$90) on Tuesday 27 October 2026.
On tech-ish’s mapping, a Compact subscriber who moves to Sports saves Sh1,200 (about US$9.24) a month, or 28.6%. Access to Starter saves Sh700 (about US$5.39), and Family to Select saves Sh750 (about US$5.77).
Pulse Kenya says Compact Plus accounts move to Ultimate, citing a reply on X from DStv Kenya’s customer-care team. Compact Plus now costs Sh7,300 (about US$56.19), so those customers would pay the same.
Why MultiChoice Is Cutting Prices
Business Daily says the company wants to regain market share lost to rival operators and to internet-based streaming. MultiChoice Kenya chief executive Nzola Miranda said it had, for the first time, reviewed its whole product range, Business Daily reports.
Canal+, a French pay-TV and film group, owns MultiChoice, and its DStv site describes the group as “a Canal+ Company”. Canal+ reported on Thursday 22 October 2026 that MultiChoice revenue fell in the nine months to September, as The Rio Times covered.
Business Daily, citing data from Kenya’s communications regulator, says MultiChoice’s market share fell from 60.2% in September 2022 to 41.3%. Its DStv and GOtv subscribers fell from 3,662,356 to 640,430, the newspaper adds.
What Changed in South Africa and What Else Starts
South Africa switched to new DStv packages in September 2026, tech-ish reports. It says DStv moved subscribers automatically there and let Compact Plus customers keep their package and price.
DStv Kenya has not said it will do the same, tech-ish adds. Business Daily notes that MultiChoice also runs GOtv in Kenya but gives no GOtv prices.
On 5 November MultiChoice also launches SuperSport Swahili, a 24-hour sports channel with Swahili commentary, tech-ish reports. It adds that discounted decoder bundles run from 2 November 2026 to 28 February 2027, with no prices published.
In Plain English
DStv is a satellite pay-TV service that MultiChoice runs across Africa. A package is a monthly bundle of channels, from entry-level entertainment to full sports coverage.
The Premier League is England’s top football league, and the UEFA Champions League is Europe’s top club competition. UFC is a US mixed martial arts promotion, and WWE is a US wrestling entertainment company.
What It Means for US Readers
Many Kenyans abroad, including in the United States, pay DStv bills for relatives at home. From 5 November those bills would be lower on most packages, if the reported prices hold.
US-made sport is part of the pitch, with UFC and WWE inside the Sports package. Investors in Canal+ can note that MultiChoice is trading price for subscribers in Kenya, and no Kenyan revenue effect has been published.
What Is Not Known
The four new prices come from Business Daily and from DStv Kenya’s post on X, quoted by Pulse Kenya. DStv’s own packages page still listed the old prices on Tuesday 27 October 2026.
Business This Day, a Kenyan news site, gives Ultimate as Sh7,500 (about US$57.73), which conflicts with the others, so Sh7,300 is used. Reports differ on where Compact Plus subscribers land, and DStv has not said where Lite subscribers go.
Hardware prices and the number of subscribers MultiChoice expects to win back have not been published. The cost to revenue is also unstated.
What Comes Next
The packages start on Thursday 5 November 2026 on satellite and on DStv Stream, the online service, Pulse Kenya says. Streaming subscribers pay the same four prices, tech-ish adds.
Canal+ gave no MultiChoice subscriber count on Thursday 22 October 2026. Later results will show whether the cuts won back viewers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is DStv in Kenya from 5 November?
Starter costs Sh750 (about US$5.77), Select Sh1,500 (about US$11.55), Sports Sh3,000 (about US$23.09) and Ultimate Sh7,300 (about US$56.19) a month. The prices come from DStv Kenya’s post on X, quoted by Pulse Kenya.
How big is the DStv price cut?
The top package falls 37.6%, from Sh11,700 (about US$90) to Sh7,300 (about US$56), a Sh4,400 (about US$33.87) saving. Lower tiers fall by 28.6% or more in the reported mappings.
Who owns DStv?
MultiChoice runs DStv, and Canal+, a French pay-TV group, owns MultiChoice. DStv’s own pages describe MultiChoice Group as a Canal+ company.
Why did MultiChoice cut prices?
Business Daily says it wants to win back market share lost to rivals and online streaming. MultiChoice has not published a detailed explanation.
Do existing subscribers have to act?
Pulse Kenya says Compact Plus accounts move to Ultimate, citing DStv Kenya’s customer-care team. Other subscribers should ask DStv which package they move to.
Sources: DStv Kenya packages page; DStv Kenya statement of 6 October 2026; Business Daily; Pulse Kenya; tech-ish; Business This Day; The Rio Times (all accessed 27 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
Part of our ongoing coverage
Africa: The New Scramble — the great-power contest over the continent.
LatAm Markets: Live Signals → — real-time movers, turnover leaders and FX across Latin America.