Nairobi, May 10 -- Delays in the sale of the government's 15 percent stake in Safaricom to South Africa's Vodacom in the wake of a suit are on course to gift the Treasury Sh16.1 billion in dividends.

The government, through the Treasury, is expected to maintain its stake in the telecoms operator at 35 percent or 14 billion shares as a court process drags out the stake's sale process.

This will earn the State dividends of Sh16.1 billion from the 15 percent stake, which initially would have gone to Vodacom.

Parties to the transaction had expected the Sh244.5 billion Vodacom deal to be concluded by March 31, locking out the government from earning the final dividend of Sh1.15 that Safaricom declared on Thursday for the 15 percent stake. ...