Editor's Review

CS Njuguna Ndung'u was set to appear before the committee on Tuesday. 

The Senate Committee on ICT has summoned National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u after he failed to appear before the committee.

In a statement on Tuesday, May 14, the Senate said CS Njuguna was to appear before the committee chaired by Trans Nzoia Senator Allan Chesang to respond to the controversial Sh4 billion telecommunications tower sale and leaseback transaction between Telkom Kenya and the American Tower Corporation (ATC).

“Committee on ICT has today summoned the CS for National Treasury and Economic Planning Prof. Njuguna Ndung'u for failing to appear before it to respond to a controversial Sh4 billion telecommunications tower sale and leaseback transaction between Telkom and ATC Kenya,” the statement read.

In 2018 the American company acquired 715 towers from Telkom Kenya for $155 million (Sh22.43 billion).

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The Senate Committee on ICT during a meeting on Tuesday, May 14. 

However, Telkom Kenya allegedly violated the tower sale and leaseback agreement by failing to pay Sh4 billion ($27.6 million) owed to the American company despite providing services and upholding its part of the deal.

In 2023, ATC switched off half of the telecommunications towers that it had leased to Telkom Kenya over the violation of the deal. 

The financial status of Telkom Kenya is still in the red even after the government bought back a 60 percent stake from British investment firm Helios Investment Group.

The buyout came after a failed merger between Telkom Kenya and Airtel back in 2020.