Safaricom PLC is once again under fire after East Africa Data Handlers CEO George Njoroge publicly expressed his frustration over the company’s apparent inaction against scam messages targeting its customers.
Through a post on X (formerly Twitter), Njoroge lamented receiving daily scam messages from conmen using Safaricom’s M-Pesa network, raising questions about the telecommunication giant’s commitment to curbing fraud.
“Every day, I get these ‘Dear Tenant’ texts from scammers using Safaricom’s M-Pesa network to rob hardworking Kenyans. How do these crooks bypass Safaricom’s so-called ‘robust’ anti-fraud system? Money gets funneled into M-Pesa and banks, withdrawn without a hitch.
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa. Photo: Safaricom Source: Facebook
“Are these scammers insiders at Safaricom, or is the company profiting from this fraud? And where’s the CEO Peter Ndegwa? Silent. This is blatant theft, and it’s shameful,” Njoroge wrote, directing his criticism at Safaricom’s top management.
The outrage comes amid growing dissatisfaction with Safaricom’s services, which have been criticized for inefficiency and alleged collusion with government entities.
The entry of Elon Musk’s Starlink into the Kenyan market has further amplified these concerns. With internet speeds reportedly 30 times faster than Safaricom’s, Starlink’s presence has exposed the telecommunication company’s limitations in both service delivery and customer protection.
Njoroge’s remarks echo the sentiments of many Kenyans who feel abandoned by Safaricom, which once held a near-monopoly in the country’s telecommunications industry. As complaints continue to rise, the silence from Safaricom’s leadership, particularly CEO Peter Ndegwa, only deepens the public’s mistrust and frustration with the company.
Equally, it won’t be forgotten that on June 25 this year when youths staged demos in Kenya’s ‘capital Nairobi, there was massive internet blackout that rocked the entire country and what was witnessed thereafter was massive deaths in Githurai and days later bodies in River Yala.
