As the fans gathered at Baniyas Square in Eldoret to watch Faith Kipyegon attempt to break the record for running a full mile, Felix Mutua’s mind was on one thing – ensuring the fans could stay connected.

Events such as Faith’s attempt in France on June 26 2025, usually bring Kenyans together.

To ensure those watching could talk, go live on TikTok, post videos and photos on Instagram and share the moment with their friends and loved ones, the team led by Felix had ensured that base transmission stations in the vicinity were well tuned.

“To make this event a success we made sure we had the right team and right equipment beaming all our sites to this area,” said Felix, who is a Network Operations Engineer at  Safaricom.

Support for these kind of events is made possible by the availability of 5G in almost every town in the country which ensures there is no lag when the event is going on.

In events away from areas where the network normally does not reach, such as the spots in the Rift Valley where the WRC Safari Rally is held, the support comes in the form of a Cell on Wheels (COW). The COW is also used at events with a large number of people in one place, such as Oktobafest.

Teamwork is also very important to achieve this.

“We have a very strong leadership team and a very multitalented team that is able to monitor network that’s why we can promise our customers 99.99% of network availability,” said Felix.

Faith missed the target by running six seconds shy, clocking 4:06.91.

For Felix, getting customers to enjoy the network like they enjoyed the atmosphere was satisfying.

“It’s very exciting seeing people be able to connect through our network,” said Felix.

Watch the video below to see how Safaricom achieved the seamless streaming experience.