Peter Ndegwa, CEO Safaricom
How many Bonga Points do you have?
Safaricom has updated its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to signal its new plans to force clients to redeem their Bonga Points.
A Twitter user (@BenJabali) complained about this by sharing a screenshot of a pop-up message.
"This is a permanent implementation where bonga points accrued will now have a validity period to enable customers redeem their points," the message on the screenshot said.
A single Bonga Point is worth Sh0.33.
Over the years, the rogue Telco has rolled out different plans to entice clients to redeem the points.
Safaricom's Bonga Points are redeemable for other merchandise sold by the Telco such as phones, tablets, laptops (and other accessories), data bundles, airtime, shopping at select supermarkets, plane tickets etc.
All their plans to have clients redeem Bonga Points have failed, now it is engaged in forceful redemption. Effective 1st January 2023, all non-redeemed Bonga Points older than three 3years(December 2019) will expire and will be unavailable for redemption - Safaricom Bonga FAQs The customer reward scheme which started in 2007 is believed to be worth billions and could potentially cost the Telco that much if clients' mass-redeem when it is not ready. Redeem Bonga Points. In mid 2010's, Safaricom was forced to cap the transfer of Bonga points, from one user to another, as it found out that clients were pooling the points to redeem for expensive gadgets. Losses Safaricom entered the Ethiopia Market with much fanfare but such moves always dent the bottom line and sure we were told that the rogue Telcos revenues dropped 18.4 per cent to about Sh33 billion.
The drop in profit can be attributed to what Safaricom lied to its shareholders about, in its sustainability report.
But from an outsider like me, the company has reached INNOVATION MENOPAUSE .
Recent development has shown that Safaricom's ills in stealing intellectual property , which began in around 2015, are finally catching up with them. READ: Stuck funds: Is Safaricom broke? Cases have been filed in court and instead of the Telco paying up, it is postponing the inevitable to a later date by bribing anything that moves within the court corridors.
When a good government and a good judiciary will take over; most managers will be behind bars
Safaricom will pay up!