SAFARICOM INTRODUCES NEW MPESA TRANSACTION CHARGES

On Friday, June 10th, Safaricom introduced changes that restricts access to M-Pesa statements.

Users were notified that they would no longer get monthly M-Pesa statements via email from the operator. M-Pesa statements will only be available upon request in the future. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2022.

M-Pesa monthly statements are currently sent as PDF files to customers’ email addresses. Customers must, however, enter their ID number in order to view the data.

Users can also access their M-Pesa statements for the last three, six, or twelve months at any time by dialing *334# and selecting ‘My Account’. Safaricom stated in a communication to consumers that this channel would remain the only option to see your M-Pesa statement.

In recent months, the company has implemented a series of measures apparently aimed at improving consumer privacy and security, in response to growing customer worries about the protection of their data.

It had announced plans earlier this year to conceal the identities of clients making payments through its Lipa na M-Pesa network, but this has subsequently run into resistance. The changes were supposed to take effect at the end of June, but Safaricom ran into technical difficulties, causing the plans to fall apart.

Unlike now, when merchants may view consumer information such as their entire registered name and phone number, Safaricom plans to provide only the customer’s first name and a few digits of their phone number, essentially obscuring their identity.

Integrations, on the other hand, have proven to be a difficult task, necessitating