KahawaTungu can reveal that a fight between MoSound and a Dubai based company, AO Lighting, which was trying to launch in Kenya is the reason why drones were banned in Kenya.
According to our sources in the police, KAA, DoD and those in the creative circles, Dubai based events company with great drone capabilities, AO Lighting, was contracted by Equity Bank to provide a synchronised drone show during the bank’s recent re-brand launch.
AO Lighting is said to have imported 200 drones for the Equity Bank re-brand launch.
When they won this contract, Squad Digital was handling the digital PR, Advertising and communication aspect of the Equity Bank’s brand.
When the show was supposed to happen, Squad Digital’s contract had expired and now one Andrew White who is an associate of MoSound was handling the previous role of Squad Digital.
MoSound through Andrew White saw the new company as a threat to its existence in the country since the synchronised drone show is not something MoSound had ever used in local events and the packaged offerings.
Andrew White advised Equity Bank against allowing the drone show while the Dubai based company had already imported all the equipment for the show.
AO Lighting previously pitched the synchronised drone show to Safaricom but wasn’t allowed on the intervention of MoSoud which felt threatened.
AO Lighting (Drones) pitch to Safaricom;
AO Drones fight with MoSound led to the ban of drones in Kenya. This is one of the pitches by AO Drones. It wanted to launch in Kenya too.
Basically, MoSound used their influence to ensure a ban instead of allowing competition. pic.twitter.com/MHOZGPgYH1
— Robert Alai (@RobertAlai) November 14, 2019
With the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority having banned drones in Kenya, it’s believed that the move was prompted on the intervention of powerful forces out to lock competition. The ban is a risk to the national security as now more people will fly rogue unlike before when the drone community would know who is flying a drone in any area of the country.
The drone community in the country is not happy with the move which has now been caused by MoSound’s fight to lock out competition.
The first time drones were banned in Kenya was when KTN flew a drone into Nyayo Stadium where President Kibaki was presiding over his last Jamhuri Day celebration in December 2012. General Karangi pushed for the ban after his attempts to have the KTN drone brought down failed as the person flying it was at Nakumatt Mega, outside the stadium.
Local partners of AO Lighting are led by Wallace Waiguru who previously worked at MoSound as the Creative Director.
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