Kalonzo Welcomes Court Order Halting Safaricom Share Transfer

Wiper leader Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka has welcomed a High Court decision temporarily stopping the transfer of shares in Safaricom PLC, describing the ruling as a major victory for Kenya’s sovereignty and protection of public assets.

In a public statement issued on Monday, Kalonzo said the High Court sitting in Nairobi had issued interim conservatory orders in Constitutional Petition No. E051 of 2026, Tony Gachoka versus Safaricom, halting the transfer of Safaricom shares pending the hearing and determination of the case.

According to Kalonzo, the court found that the petitioners had demonstrated a significant possibility of injury, thereby meeting the threshold required for the issuance of conservatory orders.

“Make no mistake: this conservatory order put the brakes on the sale of a vital Kenyan made and Kenyan owned asset,” Kalonzo said.

The former Vice President termed the ruling a landmark decision with far-reaching constitutional and national implications, saying it sent a clear message that Kenya’s sovereign assets should not be treated as commodities for disposal.

“It is a judicial reckoning and a national reawakening; a firm and unambiguous signal that Kenya, her sovereign assets, and the dignity of her citizens are not commodities to be traded,” he stated.

Kalonzo further accused President William Ruto’s administration of attempting to dispose of public assets, while praising the Judiciary for what he called standing as the last line of defence against alleged pilferage of state resources.

He said the case would proceed to hearing on June 29, 2026

The opposition leader also defended Safaricom’s strategic importance to the country, describing the telecommunications giant as the backbone of Kenya’s digital economy.

“Safaricom PLC is not an ordinary corporate entity. It is the vehicle through which millions of Kenyans transact, survive, and build their futures every single day,” he said.

Kalonzo also singled out M-Pesa as a uniquely Kenyan innovation that has earned the country global recognition, insisting that ownership of the company should remain in Kenyan hands.

“We will fight tooth and nail to ensure that the shares of the Kenyan people are not gifted to foreigners,” he added.

He further noted that the court had taken into account Safaricom’s role in Kenya’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The statement comes amid growing political debate over the ownership and control of key state-linked and strategic national assets following recent privatization discussions involving major public entities.