Safaricom Company is now in deep trouble after a Presidential Aspirant Fredrick Ogola moves to court to stop the sale of its shares to a South African firm Vodafone / Vodacom.
Fredrick Ogola and Journalist Tony Gachoka have filed a petition at the high court to stop the sale saying the public was not involved in that Agreement.Professor Ogola is seeking orders restraining Safaricom and Vodacom Group from selling to the Government 15% shareholding in that Company.
“Pending the hearing and determination of the petition, a Conservatory order be issued restraining the company from proceeding with the intended sale, transfer or alienation of the Government of Kenya’s shares in Safaricom PLC to any other entity, “added Ogola.
Ogola argues that such a move reduces government ownership and undermines public control over critical telecommunications and digital infrastructure provider.
“The transaction risks consolidating market power in the hands of a foreign controlled monopoly,” Ogola said.
He further argued that the process has not been subjected to adequate public participation, parliamentary scrutiny or disclosure of key transaction details.
Ogola said Safaricom is not just a telecom company but a back bone of Kenya’s digital economy, mobile money system and critical national infrastructure.
He said decisions affecting its ownership have long term implications for revenue, sovereignty and economic security.
Ogola says that The Cabinet Secretary, National Treasury and Economic Planning has expressed its intention, through Sessional Paper No, 3 of 2025 to dispose of fifteen percent of the Government of Kenya’s shareholding in the Safaricom PlC.
He says Safaricom controls over half of Kenya’s mobile connections, dominants mobile money and digital financial systems, and handles highly sensitive personal, financial, electoral, and National security data of over 30 million Kenyans.
“The transaction has been undertaken without public participation, without parliamentary approval, without independent valuation, and without compliance with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act and Article 206 and 208 of constitution, “he added.
He was speaking in a press conference at Milimani Law courts on Tuesday.
Together with Journalist Tony Gachoka, they say the issues they have raised are concern national sovereignty, public finance data security, constitutional governance, and protection of strategic national assets Data.
They want the court to intervene and certifies this matter as urgent.
