Safaricom Interim Chief Executive Officer Michael Joseph has revealed how the telecommunication giant landed on Peter Ndegwa as the CEO of the company.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Citizen TV, Michael Joseph said the newly appointed CEO Peter Ndegwa was given the chance as a way of natural progression rather than giving in to demands.

Micheal Joseph was responding to questions from Citizen TV’s Yvone Okwara.

“I wouldn’t say we gave in to demands but becuase it is the right thing to do especially after 19 years of safaricom. By now a Kenyan should run the company,” he said.

Michael Joseph is a Kenyan-American businessman who was the founding CEO of Safaricom Limited, the largest telco in Kenya.

Currently, he is acting as the interim CEO after the death of former CEO Bob Collymore.

He is also the Chairman of Kenya Airways.

In the interview, Michael Joseph said it is true there has been pressure to get a Kenyan to replace Collymore.

There was pressure and it has always been there people asking why not a kenyan while others said why Kenyan and not just have the best person for the job,” he said.

He added, “This is the right time to define the right kenyan for the job”.

Micheal Joseph said Safaricom is not jus an ordinary company but has a specific DNA.

“It is not just about voice, data and SMS company but touches on financial services and impact communities in different corporate social resposbibilities. So this is a big company that touches on every facet of the Kenyan society.

Safaricom on Thursday announced that it had appointed Peter Ndegwa as the new Chief Executive Officer.

The Safaricom PLC Board of Directors in a statement Ndegwa’s appointment will take effect from April 1, 2020.

Ndegwa joins Safaricom from Diageo PLC where he is the Managing Director of Diageo Continental Europe.