Safaricom PLC has come under intense public criticism following revelations by Dr Ekuru Aukot about its alleged involvement in a KES 104 billion scandal tied to India’s Adani Group.
Dr Aukot, leader of the Thirdway Alliance party, accused the telecommunications giant of facilitating a deal for non-existent software, reportedly worth less than KES 500 million, at an inflated cost to Kenyan taxpayers.
In a tweet on 21 November 2024, Dr Aukot reiterated warnings he made last month, highlighting what he described as a betrayal of suffering Kenyan workers.
Thirdway Alliance Party leader Hon Ekuru Aukot issuing a press statement during a past event. Photo: The Star Source: Citizen Digital
“Safaricom PLC and its collaborators in SHIF and HHM have allowed this scam to devastate Kenyans now and in the future,” he wrote, questioning whether there were no patriotic Kenyans within these organisations who could blow the whistle on such a massive fraud.
The deal allegedly involved funds from the Sustainable Healthcare Insurance Fund (SHIF), financed by a controversial 2.75% mandatory deduction from workers’ salaries.
Protests against the deductions earlier this year led to shocking reports of violence, including abductions, injuries, and deaths of demonstrators.
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa. Source: Facebook
President William Ruto has since cancelled all Adani Group dealings in Kenya. However, questions linger over how Safaricom and other institutions allowed this scheme to progress without raising alarm.
Dr Aukot’s comments have intensified public demands for accountability from the telecommunications company, which has yet to respond to the accusations.
For many, this scandal underscores the urgent need for transparency and integrity in Kenya’s corporate and public institutions.
As Dr Aukot cautioned, those involved in what he called a “heinous crime against sick and dying Kenyans” will one day face justice. The country now awaits answers, with Safaricom firmly in the spotlight.
