Safaricom’s grip on the telecommunications industry in Kenya has long made it a household name, but in recent months the company has come under growing criticism for issues that touch on both financial integrity and human rights.
Many customers have raised concerns that their money is being unfairly deducted or stolen through its M-Pesa services.
Cases of unauthorized withdrawals continue to surface, with frustrated customers sharing experiences of losing their hard-earned money and finding it almost impossible to recover.
A common complaint is that once funds are transferred to another account and withdrawn, Safaricom refuses to reverse the transactions.
This has raised anger from users who feel that a company handling billions of shillings daily should have better safeguards against fraud.
One woman recently shared her experience of losing money from her M-Pesa wallet, describing the helplessness that followed. Her story is not isolated, as similar cases dominate social media platforms, with many pointing to SIM swap fraud and weaknesses in the system.
Instead of addressing the matter firmly, Safaricom’s responses often leave victims feeling abandoned.
The growing dissatisfaction has fueled calls for boycotts and migration to other providers, with people questioning whether Safaricom truly values its customers’ trust or simply focuses on profits.
The criticism against the company goes beyond financial complaints. During the 2024 protests against the Finance Bill, which saw nationwide demonstrations over rising taxes and economic struggles, Safaricom was accused of cooperating with state security agencies by sharing sensitive customer data.
Protesters and activists claimed that the company provided call logs and location details to the authorities, enabling targeted abductions.
Human rights groups documented multiple cases of enforced disappearances, torture, and killings linked to these protests.
At least 12 people were reported missing within a short span, with families left searching morgues for answers. Safaricom denied direct involvement, but in court admitted that it had shared information in some cases without proper warrants, raising fears over privacy and abuse of power.
The situation worsened during the Githurai tragedy in June 2024, when police allegedly opened fire on residents and demonstrators, leaving many dead. While the government dismissed the reports, witnesses described horrifying scenes, and rights groups labeled it a massacre.
On that same night, users reported sudden internet slowdowns, fueling claims that Safaricom deliberately throttled connectivity to limit the spread of videos and real-time reporting.
The blackout not only blocked communication but also allowed state forces to operate with little accountability.
For many, this confirmed suspicions that the company had chosen to side with power rather than protect its customers.
Critics now argue that Safaricom is no longer a neutral service provider but an active enabler of state repression. With partial ownership by the Kenyan government and Vodafone UK, the company has access to sensitive data that can easily be misused.
Activists point to the death of young protester Denzel Omondi, allegedly tracked and later found murdered, as a chilling example of how data can become a tool of violence. This, combined with Safaricom’s history of controversies including past accusations of destroying evidence during the 2007 post-election violence, paints a worrying picture of a company that has repeatedly escaped accountability.
In response, some Kenyans are canceling their Safaricom lines and switching to competitors like Airtel.
Online campaigns encourage more people to walk away from what they call a corporation that prioritizes state interests and profit over citizens’ safety.
The company continues to post massive profits, but its public image is under strain as victims and their families demand justice and accountability. Safaricom’s growing list of scandals now raises a larger question, how long can a company remain dominant when public trust is steadily eroding?
For many, Safaricom is no longer seen as a trusted service but as a dangerous extension of state power, and that shift in perception may prove more damaging than any financial loss.
