Safaricom Apologizes for M-PESA Delays, Works on Resolution

Nairobi, December 20, 2011 at 11.30 am…Telecoms operator Safaricom has apologized to its customers for intermittent delays on its M-PESA service, and said sit was working on a quick resolution.

 “We wish to advise our esteemed customers and agents that they are likely to experience some delays on the M-PESA service. Consequently, they should wait for a confirmation SMS before they can issue or receive cash,” said Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore.

 Added Mr Collymore: “We regret the inconvenience these delays have caused and wish to assure our customers that their money is safe. We assure them of our commitment to deliver a quality M-PESA service as our engineers work on a quick resolution.”

He thanked Safaricom customers for their patience and custom and appealed to them to use available avenues for resolution of any query. These include the 234 M-PESA Customer Care Line. Others are the online service, which is available on 2 Twitter accounts: @ Safaricom_Care and @SafaricomLtd and Facebook on www.facebook.com/SafaricomLtd

Notes to Editors...

The M-PESA service, the first of its kind in the world, was launched in March 2007. As at July 31, 2011, the service had over 14.4 million customers and about 30,700 agent outlets countrywide. Over 800 organizations are now accepting Bill Payment via M-PESA. The service does not require users to have a bank account; an important aspect in Kenya, where millions of people do not operate bank accounts.

With M-PESA, account holders can buy electronic funds at an M-PESA agent and send the electronic value to any other mobile phone user in the country, who can then redeem it for conventional cash at any M-PESA agent.

From the initial ‘send money home’ service, the service offering has expanded to facilitate airtime top-up, bill payment, salary disbursements, M-KESHO services and more recently international money transfer in partnership with  Western Union.

M-PESA customers can hold up to KShs100,000 in their M-PESA account at any one time, and can do transactions of up to KShs140,000 in a day. Between KShs50 and KShs70,000 can be deposited, sent or withdrawn per transaction.