This archive report was first published on 29 November 2019.
Revolutionizing Postal Services in Kenya ¶
On November 29, 2019, Safaricom and Posta Kenya announced a groundbreaking partnership to launch MPost, a digital postal service that promises to transform the way Kenyans receive mail and parcels.
Under this innovative service, Safaricom customers can register for a digital Post Office Box and pay an annual fee of KES. 300. This digital box is linked to their mobile number, and they can choose to pick up their deliveries from any of the 625 Post Office branches across the country.
According to government data, over 4,000 driving licenses are returned every two months due to failure of their owners to collect them. Additionally, Kenyans have been sharing Postal Boxes, compromising their privacy and confidentiality, especially for sensitive deliveries.
The MPost service aims to address these challenges by providing a convenient and secure way for customers to receive mail and parcels. With MPost, customers will receive an SMS notification whenever they have mail to be collected at their preferred Post Office branch.
Customers can also choose additional services such as physical delivery of mail to their doorstep or mail pickup for delivery, both of which will be offered at an additional fee per delivery based on the source or destination.
Speaking about the partnership, Michael Joseph, CEO of Safaricom, said, "Kenya's economy is increasingly digitizing, leading to the growth of online delivery of goods and services. Posta's logistical capabilities and Post Office branch network are well placed to meet this shift."
"We have invested in the MPost innovation to meet the shifting demands of our customers in a modern, digital world," added Dan Kagwe, Post Master General and CEO of Postal Corporation of Kenya.
"This partnership demonstrates the confidence that Safaricom has in Posta Kenya's capacity in provision and delivery of efficient services to its customers," said Joe Mucheru, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.
With MPost, Safaricom claims that data from the Postal Corporation of Kenya shows that AliExpress now accounts for more than 62 percent of their deliveries following the M-PESA-AliExpress partnership in March 2019.
