This archive report was first published on 24 October 2019.
On October 24, 2019, the Safaricom board of directors made history by appointing Peter Ndegwa as the company's chief executive officer, marking the first time a Kenyan has led the country's most profitable company.
Ndegwa, who has over 25 years of experience in various financial market positions, joins Safaricom from Diageo PLC, where he was the managing director of Diageo International Europe.
His appointment comes after the Kenyan government had lobbied for a local to take over the lucrative position, even before the death of former CEO Bob Collymore. ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru had clarified that the government would not interfere with the board's decision, stating, 'I don’t think the government's position has changed. We would still love to see a Kenyan. My wish is that a Kenyan gets the position but we don’t control the business.'
As Ndegwa officially takes the reins on April 1, 2020, social media users have taken to Twitter and Facebook to express their opinions on the appointment, with some welcoming the move and others expressing concern.
