Kenya has laid out nine clear conditions that Vodacom must honour if it moves ahead with buying a stake in Safaricom. The government has focussed on jobs, local leadership and long-term national interests.
First, the government wants job security protected. No staff cuts will be allowed except those that happen in the normal course of business. Kenya has also insisted on continuity for Safaricom’s two major charitable arms. The Safaricom Foundation and the M-Pesa Foundation with Vodacom required to support their ongoing work.
Any expansion by the company outside Kenya will need prior consultation with the state. Though Kenya will not hold veto power over Vodacom’s final decision. The roles of Safaricom’s chairman and chief executive must remain in Kenyan hands at all times. This reflecting the firm’s strategic importance to the country.
Kenya is also placing guardrails around leadership stability. The existing executive committee cannot be changed without the CEO’s approval. Safaricom’s brand including its name and all visual identity must remain untouched.
The government is capping major supplier changes for the next three years to protect local businesses, unless the shifts occur naturally in normal operations. It also requires all trustees of Safaricom linked foundations to be Kenyan citizens, and all foundation funds to go toward projects in Kenya.
Finally, the government must give written approval before anyone reverses or alters these stake commitments, ensuring Kenya retains oversight during any ownership transition.
The conditions show Kenya’s intent to safeguard a company seen as a national asset one that shapes the economy, digital innovation, and social impact. For Vodacom, meeting the terms is the price of entry into East Africa’s most influential telecoms player.
