The Communication Workers Union of Kenya (COWU-K) has asked Parliament to protect Safaricom workers as the government moves to reduce its ownership in the telecoms company.
The union appeared before a joint sitting of the National Assembly’s Finance Committee and the Public Debt and Privatisation Committee, where it made submissions on Sessional Paper No. 3 of 2025, which proposes the partial sale of the State’s stake in Safaricom.
COWU-K warned that the planned divestiture should not weaken workers’ rights or job security. Union officials said Safaricom employs about 5,041 unionisable permanent staff but has consistently refused to formally recognise the union. Instead, the company is accused of using internal staff councils in place of trade unions.
According to the union, the government’s plan to reduce its shareholding to 20 per cent has caused anxiety among Safaricom’s 6,462 employees, particularly over job security and representation.
The union also raised concerns over what it termed double standards by Vodacom, a major Safaricom shareholder. It said Vodacom recognises and works with unions in South Africa and Tanzania, but has not supported similar arrangements in Kenya.
COWU-K urged MPs to include clear labour protections in the divestiture plan. These include requiring Safaricom and Vodacom to sign a recognition agreement with the union within three months, conclude a collective bargaining agreement within six months, and guarantee that no worker will be punished for taking part in union activities.
The union also wants Safaricom to formally adopt Vodacom’s global human rights and labour standards in its local operations.
