In recent news, the involvement of a prominent figure from Safaricom in an $800 million government contract aimed at digitizing the health systems in the country has raised some eyebrows. Despite opposition politicians raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest, Safaricom’s chair has defended the telco’s participation in the project.
The project, known as the Integrated Healthcare Technology System (IHTS), was won by Safaricom in a consortium with Konvergenz Network Solutions and Apeiro Limited. The consortium aims to link all health facilities in Kenya and store medical data to enhance the country’s healthcare infrastructure.
Critics have pointed out the chair’s law firm’s representation of Konvergenz and his close ties to the President as potential conflicts of interest. However, Safaricom’s chair maintains that the project was initiated before he assumed his current position.
Safaricom, holding a 22.56% stake in the consortium, will provide network support for the project, while Apeiro Limited (59.55%) and Konvergenz (17.89%) will be responsible for developing the platform. Despite criticisms regarding the transparency of the public-private partnerships (PPPs) involved in such projects, Safaricom’s CEO has reiterated that the initiative will benefit the country by strengthening its health systems.
The project has been defended as a step towards advancing the company’s vision as a purpose-led technology firm. It remains to be seen how this initiative will impact the healthcare landscape in Kenya.