By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 13 December 2025 - Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi’s public rebuke of Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro over the proposed partial sale of government shares in Safaricom has exposed the political sensitivities surrounding one of Kenya’s most valuable state assets, as well as the broader debate on economic reform and accountability.
Speaking in Bondo during a bursary fundraiser at Kapiyo Secondary School, Mbadi dismissed Nyoro’s criticism of the divestiture plan as political grandstanding, arguing that concerns over Safaricom should be addressed through parliamentary mechanisms rather than public confrontations.
His remarks came after Nyoro challenged the Treasury CS to a televised debate over the government’s intentions, a move Mbadi characterized as a search for publicity rather than constructive oversight.
At the heart of the dispute is the government’s plan to offload part of its Safaricom stake, a proposal framed by Treasury as a tool for easing fiscal pressure and supporting economic recovery.
Mbadi insisted that Parliament remains the proper forum for interrogating the plan, pointing to the Finance and Planning Committee and the Debt and Privatisation Committee as avenues through which Nyoro could raise objections.
He stressed that standing orders empower MPs to summon officials and promised his availability once parliamentary sittings resume in January or February.
Mbadi’s response also carried a political edge.
He accused Nyoro of inconsistency, recalling that the Kiharu MP had previously urged former President Uhuru Kenyatta to sell Safaricom shares.
The CS questioned why Nyoro now opposed a partial divestiture, suggesting the resistance was driven less by policy concerns and more by a desire to undermine the current administration’s economic agenda.
According to Mbadi, the opposition reflects an unwillingness to see the government “deliver.”
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Beyond the specifics of Safaricom, the exchange underscores a deeper contest over how economic policy should be debated in Kenya’s polarised political environment.
Mbadi criticized Nyoro for raising complex fiscal matters in informal public spaces such as funerals and churches, arguing that such platforms are ill-suited for nuanced economic discussions.
This criticism reflects a broader concern within government about the politicization of technical policy decisions, particularly those involving privatization and public debt.
Mbadi maintained that the Safaricom divestiture is part of a broader strategy to help the economy “take off,” pledging to provide detailed explanations to lawmakers.
His remarks suggest confidence that the plan can withstand parliamentary scrutiny, while also signaling Treasury’s determination to push ahead despite political resistance.
The event itself carried clear political overtones. Mbadi was accompanied by MPs Gideon Ochanda (Bondo) and Martin Owino (Awendo), as well as nominated Senator Consolata Wakwabubi, who publicly rallied behind President William Ruto and urged him to ignore critics.
Their presence and statements linked the Safaricom debate to the wider political alignment ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ultimately, the Mbadi–Nyoro exchange illustrates how economic policy, parliamentary oversight, and electoral politics are increasingly intertwined.
While the government frames the Safaricom divestiture as a pragmatic fiscal measure, opposition voices see it as a decision demanding heightened scrutiny. How the issue unfolds in Parliament may determine whether the debate shifts from political confrontation to substantive policy evaluation.
