On 20 November 2018, Safaricom moved to clarify complaints that it had been taking money from subscribers’ M-Pesa wallets when they bought airtime or data bundles for other users.
The telecoms company said the charges were not hidden. According to Safaricom, customers using Sambaza credit or bundles are shown prompts that allow them to either proceed with the transfer, include any outstanding Okoa Jahazi balance, or cancel the transaction altogether.
“Customers, however, are always advised to note a few things about the services before going ahead and buying airtime or bundles for a loved one from their phones,” read part of the statement from Safaricom.
Safaricom said the process is meant to help users understand what they are authorising before the transaction is completed. It pointed to Sambaza credit and Okoa Jahazi as services that have helped Kenyans stay connected when they urgently need airtime.
The company gave an example of a customer sending a data bundle through the 544# menu. After selecting the relevant options, the user is shown a final choice that may include adding airtime to settle an Okoa Jahazi debt if one exists.
In the example provided, a customer who wants to send bundles worth Ksh100 and also has an Okoa Jahazi balance of Ksh50 would end up paying Ksh150 in total. Safaricom said the customer must then confirm the full amount in the M-PESA menu by entering a PIN before the transaction goes through.
The clarification came amid concerns that subscribers were being charged without warning, but Safaricom’s position was that the additional amount only applies where the user agrees to clear the debt during the same transaction.
