French firm says it has lost control of Telkom Kenya

France Telecom, the majority shareholder in Telkom Kenya, has reported to its owners the loss of control over the Kenyan operation, leaving its long planned exit in the hands of the Kenyan government.

The French firm, with a 70 per cent stake in Telkom Kenya (Orange), says in the financial report for the year ended December 2014, that disagreements with the Kenyan government — its sole partner in the business with a 30 per cent stake — has reached a critical level.