Kalonzo hails High Court ruling nullifying Safaricom share sale to Vodacom

In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, Kalonzo, who served as lead counsel in the case, said the judgment vindicated the concerns raised by the petitioners and called for the shares to be restored to the Government of Kenya.

A three-judge High Court bench had on Tuesday declared the transaction unconstitutional, null and void, ordering that the 15 per cent stake be returned to State ownership.

The court found that the process failed to meet constitutional and legal requirements, including meaningful public participation and disclosure of material information about the transaction.

The bench also quashed decisions and approvals connected to the sale, including Sessional Paper No. 3 of 2025, and nullified any merger, acquisition or takeover arising from the deal.

The government had sold the 15 per cent stake to Vodacom for Ksh 204.3 billion, with the transaction completed on June 30, 2026.

The deal also included Ksh 40.2 billion paid to the Treasury as an advance against future dividends on the remaining 20 per cent stake retained by the State, bringing the total value taken off the books to Ksh 244.5 billion.

Kalonzo argued that Safaricom should be treated as a strategic national asset, citing its central role in telecommunications, mobile money and the handling of citizens' data.

The government is now expected to appeal the ruling. Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi confirmed on Wednesday that the State will challenge the High Court's decision.