This archive report was first published on 26 July 2019.
On July 26, 2019, ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru stated that the government will not interfere with Safaricom's process of searching for a new CEO after the death of Bob Collymore.
According to Mucheru, Safaricom is capable of picking its own management team, and the government is confident that the board will do this.
Three weeks prior, Mucheru had expressed a desire for a Kenyan to fill the vacant Safaricom CEO post, stating, 'I don't think the government position has changed, we would still love to see a Kenyan. However like any other company, they (Safaricom) have a choice as to who they want to be their CEO.'
At the time, former Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph was heading the telco on an interim basis, citing that senior officials at the company were not ready to fill Collymore's shoes.
Joseph also revealed that the search for Collymore's successor began 18 months ago but stalled due to demands and pressure from various corners.
Regarding the possibility of Safaricom being split into different entities due to its dominance in the market, Mucheru stated that the government will not oblige, noting that it would drive away prospective investors from the Kenyan market.
