Breaking News:
Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Select Committee on Public Debt and Privatization sitting during consultative session in Machakos County

Safaricom Share Sale: Public Consultation, Completion and Court Ruling

Kelvin Kibet

Updated October 9, 2026

Machakos residents were among the Kenyans consulted in February on the Government of Kenya’s proposed sale of part of its Safaricom PLC shareholding. The proposal later advanced through Parliament and the share transfer was completed on June 30, 2026. On September 15, the High Court declared the government’s 15% divestiture invalid and ordered the shares restored to the State. The Government and Vodacom have said they will challenge the ruling, so the legal position remains subject to appeal proceedings.

What was discussed at the Mavoko meeting

A joint parliamentary committee held a public participation session at the Mavoko NG-CDF offices on February 3, 2026, as part of consultations on Sessional Paper No. 3 of 2025. The proposed transaction involved selling 15% of the Government’s Safaricom shares to Vodafone Kenya, a Vodacom Group subsidiary. Parliament’s report and later records describe views raised during the wider consultation process, including concerns about ownership, consumer prices, employment, data and how sale proceeds would be used.

The public meeting was a consultation about a proposal at that time; it was not itself approval of the sale. Parliament subsequently considered and approved the Sessional Paper, subject to regulatory conditions.

The transaction and the court ruling

Vodacom announced that the acquisition of an additional effective 20% stake in Safaricom—15% from the Kenyan Government and 5% from Vodafone—was completed on June 30, 2026, increasing Vodacom’s effective shareholding to about 55%. The Government retained a 20% stake at that point.

On September 15, 2026, a three-judge High Court bench ruled that the Government’s 15% divestiture was unconstitutional and invalid, and ordered the shares restored to the Government. The judgment addressed, among other matters, public participation and disclosure of information about the transaction. That is the High Court’s ruling; it should not be described as the final outcome while appeals remain pending.

The Government and Vodacom have said they will appeal. As of October 9, 2026, this article has not verified a final Court of Appeal decision or a stay that reverses the High Court judgment. Readers should check current court records and company disclosures for later developments.

Why the timeline matters

The sequence is important: public consultation and parliamentary approval came before completion, but a later court judgment found the divestiture invalid. Readers should distinguish the original proposal, the completed June transfer and the September judgment rather than treating any one stage as the whole story.

Sources

Post Views: 28

Kelvin Kibet

Kelvin Kibet is a journalist and multimedia professional with more than six years of experience in journalism, digital media, content production, and newsroom operations.As Editor-in-Chief of Daily Report KE, Kelvin provides editorial leadership and oversees the quality, accuracy, and integrity of the platform's published content. He works with the editorial team to ensure that stories are properly reviewed, fact-checked, contextualized, and presented in accordance with professional journalistic standards.His responsibilities include supervising reporting processes, coordinating newsroom operations, reviewing stories before publication, strengthening editorial procedures, and maintaining standards of accuracy, fairness, and responsible journalism.Kelvin has experience in news reporting, digital journalism, multimedia storytelling, video production, community journalism, and editorial management. He is committed to producing informative, accurate, and public-interest content for Daily Report KE's readers.Areas of Expertise News Reporting Digital Journalism Multimedia Storytelling Investigative Reporting Community Journalism Editorial Management Video Production Content Production Key Responsibilities Editorial leadership and oversight Story review and publishing standards Fact-checking and verification Newsroom coordination Editorial planning and content development Newsroom ethics and quality control Maintaining accuracy and responsible journalism

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *