Safaricom stock: Vodacom keeps 55 percent stake as Safaricom stock faces appeal risk

Published on 10/24/2026 at 03:55 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Vodacom retains 55 percent after the October 13, 2026 appeal order. Safaricom stock reported KES 73.68 billion profit after tax in fiscal 2026.

Control dispute and earnings

Vodacom retained a 55 percent Safaricom stake after the October 13, 2026 appeal order.
Fiscal year 2026 profit after tax rose 61.0 percent to KES 73.68 billion.
Safaricom closed at KES 33.30 on the Nairobi Securities Exchange on October 23, 2026.

SCOM, KE1000001402, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Safaricom PLC (ISIN KE1000001402) remains tied to a contested ownership transfer after Vodacom retained a 55 percent stake pending a fast-tracked appeal. The Court of Appeal order dated October 13, 2026 preserved the existing shareholding position, according to BusinessDay.

Ownership remains the central issue

The dispute began with an effective 20 percent acquisition announced on December 4, 2025, followed by completion on June 30, 2026. The transaction lifted Vodacom's interest to 55 percent, while the October 13, 2026 court order kept the shares and purchase consideration in their existing position, according to Sharenet.

The Kenyan government received KES 204.3 billion for its 15 percent holding, while KES 40.2 billion was paid in advance against future dividends. If the High Court judgment stands, Vodacom's interest would fall to about 40 percent, placing majority control at the center of the appeal.

What do the earnings add?

The ownership question sits alongside a strong fiscal year 2026 operating result. Safaricom reported profit after tax of KES 73.68 billion, up 61.0 percent from KES 45.76 billion in fiscal year 2025, while profit before tax rose 36.1 percent to KES 126.82 billion from KES 93.21 billion, according to Pergamon Investment Bank. The same report said the dividend increased to KES 2.00 per share from KES 1.20.

Procedural dates shape the next step

The court registrar was scheduled to receive directions on October 23, 2026, while the substantive appeal was assigned priority treatment. The next market question is therefore tied to legal control rather than a new corporate forecast.

Safaricom closes lower

Safaricom closed at KES 33.30 on the Nairobi Securities Exchange on October 23, 2026, with reported volume of 3.55 million shares. The dated close gives investors a home-market reference while the appeal determines whether the 55 percent ownership structure can endure.

The further course of trading is shown through the Nairobi Securities Exchange market context.