Why Safaricom sale could erode public trust in government

Safaricom divestiture offers policymakers a chance to demonstrate that public participation matters. [File, Standard]

As National Assembly’s Finance and Planning Committee conducted the first phase of public participation on the government’s proposed partial divestiture from Safaricom Plc, Kenyans asked deeper questions about fairness, trust, and whose priorities shape national decisions.

Across counties, two concerns emerged repeatedly. The first one was why proceeds from the divestiture should be ring-fenced for infrastructure projects widely perceived as Nairobi-centric, rather than distributed across all 47 counties using the Equitable Share Allocation formula. The second concern was why the government should prioritise long-term infrastructure financing when healthcare and education sectors, with immediate and tangible impact on citizens’ lives continue to suffer major funding shortfalls.