Conditions by the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) for Airtel and Telkom proposed merger, have been challenged afresh by the two operators involved.
Both firms applied seeking for the review of the extreme conditions and which had been set by CAK in 2019.
These included, retention of all workers for at least two years, and also avoid company auction for at least five years.
"The merged entity or part of it, is restricted from entering into any form of sale agreement within the next five years," read 2019 CAK notice for detailed merger conditions, a condition which both companies want to be kept aside.
Another term also included the retention of 349 over 674 employees for two years with effect from the merger's implementation, triggering a review also.
Chief Executive Telkom Kenya Mugo Kibati in 2019 pledged that workers won't be left out during the merger, and even those sacked off along the restructure process stood a considerable chance in the new merger.
"We are merging certain businesses of Telkom with Airtel Kenya to create a joint venture, and also leaving behind a much stronger company, profit and loss wise, where we are going to build a technology and digital services company that will create new jobs," said Mugo.
The idea has already been objected by several others including Telkom Kenya ex-employees, and who still have an unresolved case with the Telkom company.
The move was not welcomed by Safaricom firm which cited that both Telkom and Airtel may default on the Sh1.2 billion mobile termination rates' debt.
Both companies currently own 32.7 per cent market share, compared to Safaricom's 67.5 per cent share as of 2019 September.