As debate intensifies over the proposed sale of a 15 per cent government stake in Safaricom, the conversation has increasingly shifted beyond numbers to the deeper question of how Kenya safeguards the value of its strategic national assets.

Business leaders and corporate governance advocates have quietly but firmly urged caution, emphasizing that decisions involving institutions of Safaricom’s stature must be guided not only by immediate fiscal pressures, but by long-term national value creation.

Among voices advocating for measured stewardship is Samchi Group Founder, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Esther Muchemi, a seasoned entrepreneur whose career has been anchored on building sustainable enterprises and protecting shareholder value.

Dr. Muchemi has consistently maintained that true wealth is not generated through hurried disposals, but through patient value optimization. In her view, assets that anchor entire ecosystems—supporting millions of livelihoods, digital infrastructure, and national connectivity—require a governance approach that balances liquidity needs with intergenerational responsibility.

“Strategic assets demand strategic patience,” she has often noted in corporate leadership forums, underscoring that price alone should never eclipse purpose, nor should short-term relief compromise future earnings capacity.

While acknowledging the government’s responsibility to mobilize resources for development, Dr. Muchemi’s philosophy aligns with growing public sentiment that broad-based participation, transparent valuation, and competitive market mechanisms strengthen confidence and preserve national interest. Where citizens feel included, trust deepens; where value is maximized openly, legitimacy follows.

Her corporate experience further suggests that mortgaging future income streams, however attractive in the present moment, risks weakening institutional resilience over time—particularly when the asset involved plays a central role in data, finance, and communication systems.

As Parliament opens the process to public submissions, voices such as Dr. Muchemi’s reflect a quieter but powerful position within Kenya’s private sector: that economic sovereignty is best protected not through resistance, but through wisdom, prudence, and disciplined governance.

In the final analysis, the Safaricom debate may well serve as a defining test of how Kenya balances urgency with foresight—ensuring that today’s solutions do not become tomorrow’s regrets.