The simmering tension within the Kenya Kwanza administration over the sale of state assets has boiled over into open conflict. The National Assembly’s Finance Committee has issued a priority summons for Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, demanding a full disclosure of the controversial sale of a 15% government stake in Safaricom to the Vodacom Group.

The transaction, valued at approximately KES 244 billion, has become a lightning rod for political infighting. While the Treasury frames the divestiture as a critical measure to plug the fiscal deficit and service maturing Eurobonds, critics—led by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro—have labeled it a "fire sale" of the country's crown jewel.

"State Capture" Allegations

The dispute has taken a personal turn, with CS Mbadi accusing Nyoro of "political grandstanding" for challenging the deal in public rallies rather than parliament. However, MPs are now demanding the Attorney General table the sale agreement, citing fears that the stake was undervalued by nearly KES 40 billion. "We cannot sell the family silver in the dark," remarked a committee member. "If the deal is clean, why the secrecy?"

• The Strategic Risk: Security analysts have raised concerns that increasing Vodacom's stake effectively cedes control of Kenya's most sensitive data infrastructure to a foreign entity. Safaricom manages critical police surveillance and national security communication networks.
• The Timeline: CS Mbadi is expected to appear before the joint committee on Thursday. A failure to clarify the valuation process could trigger a motion to annul the transaction, setting the stage for a diplomatic and legal standoff.

A House Divided

The clash between a sitting Cabinet Secretary and a powerful budget committee chair highlights the deepening fissures in the ruling coalition. As the economy struggles to "take off," the Safaricom sale has become a proxy war for the broader direction of the government's economic policy.