Kenya - Safaricom FY pretax profit up 47%.

(From Telecompaper Africa/Asia)

Kenyan mobile operator Safaricom reported pretax profit for the fiscal year to March 2006 up 44.6 percent from a year earlier to KES 12.2 billion, writes the East African Standard. Revenues increased 30 percent to KES 34.9 billion. CEO Michael Joseph attributed the growth to expanding services into rural areas. Speaking at Safaricom's presentation of results, finance minister Amos Kimunya said the government is considering an IPO for Safaricom for next year. Negotiations to sell a further 9 percent stake in the company to Vodafone, which already has 40 percent, have yet to conclude, he added. The government holds the …