NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 19 – Safaricom has assured Kenyans that it will remain a Kenyan company, saying proposed changes in its shareholding will not affect its operations, governance, or regulatory oversight.
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa made the clarification while appearing before the Joint Parliamentary Committees on Finance & National Planning and Public Debt & Privatisation, during discussions on Sessional Paper No. 3 of 2025 on the Government of Kenya’s planned partial divestiture in the telecoms firm.
Ndegwa said the proposed transaction does not alter Safaricom’s governance structure, regulatory environment, or national jurisdiction, stressing that the company will continue to operate fully under Kenyan law.
He noted that Safaricom remains licensed, supervised, and regulated by Kenyan authorities, including the Communications Authority of Kenya, Central Bank of Kenya, Capital Markets Authority, and the Competition Authority of Kenya, among others.
The company will also remain listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and subject to local enforcement mechanisms.
“There is no transfer of operational control, no dilution of regulatory authority, and no weakening of governance standards,” Safaricom said, adding that its board, management, and decision-making structures remain unchanged.
Ndegwa also clarified that Vodacom is not a new investor, describing it as a long-standing strategic partner that has supported Safaricom’s regional expansion, including its entry into Ethiopia.
According to Safaricom, any increase in Vodacom’s shareholding is intended to strengthen long-term investment rather than change how the company is run.
